MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC CROPS (2+1)

Importance and chemical composition

• The oil of palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii) (Family: Poaceae) is obtained from the floral shoots and the above ground parts of the variety motia. This variety is also referred as “Rosha grass” or “Russa grass” and yields oil with a high geraniol content (75.90%), which is also called East Indian Geranium Oil or Russa Oil. Another variety, sofia, called ginger grass is also grown wildly in India and it yields oil of lower geraniol content. The oil known as Ginger Grass oil is of an inferior grade and fetches a much lower price than the palmoarosa oil. Oil of palmarosa is one of the most important essential oils.


• Oil of palmarosa chiefly contains 70-80 % geraniol. Java oils also have almost the same geraniol content, but their ester content is higher. Oil of palmarosa is used in perfumery, particularly for flavouring tobacco and for the blending of soap, due to the lasting rose note it imparts to the blend. In soap perfumes it has a special importance by virtue of geraniol being stable in contact with alkali. It also serves as a source of very high grade geraniol.