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Palmarosa
Botanical Name: Cymbopogon martinii
Family: Graminae
Description
A perennial grass to 3m tall. Leaves linear-lanceolate, cordate or amplexicaule, 8-50 cm long, 1-3 cm broad. flowers spikelets in panicles turning reddish brown when mature. Plant is acrid.
Flowering and fruiting: July-August
Parts used: Whole plant
Distribution: Cultivated throughout plain area of Nepal.
Method of Extraction: Steam Distillation
| Specification of Palmarosa |
| 1. Organoleptic Properties |
| Appearance |
Fluid liquid. |
| Color |
Pale yellow |
| Aroma |
Sweet, floral rosy |
| 2. Physico-chemical Properties |
| Specific gravity |
0.8805 to 0.9007 at 25º C |
| Optical rotation |
[-] 0.5º to [+] 0.75º at 25º C. |
| Refractive index |
1.475 to 1.4798 at 25º C |
| Acid number |
0.85 to 10.5 |
| Ester number |
15 to 48.5 |
| Ester number after acetylation |
240 to 305 |
| Solubility |
Soluble in 1.2 to 2.5 vol. of 70% alcohol |
| Total alcohol |
80 to 96% |
| Free alcohol |
62 to 84% calculated as Geranol |
3. Chemical constituent
Citral, Geranyl Acetate, Linalyl Acetate, Geranial, Neral, Limonene, Myrcene, Beta-caryophyllene |
4. Uses:
- Plant is aromatic, carminative, diuretic, cardio tonic and febrifuge.
- For the isolation of high grade geranial; in the cosmetics industry for scenting of soaps; in flavoring of tobacco.
- Medicinal & Aromatherapy use: Antiseptic and bactericide, stomachic, relieve the discomforts of flu and a high temperature, wrinkles, broken veins, boils, normalize thyroid, nervous exhaustion, stress related conditions.
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