grass Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty ???

[surajit koley]

Sir / Madam,

Found this grass today, beside railway track in Hooghly. This could be BENA or KHAS-KHAS grass in Bengali.

Species : Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty (syn. Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash.) ???

more synonyms : http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/kew-405169

Bengali name : BENA, KHAS-KHAS (if the ID is correct)

Habit & Habitat : grass; culm = 90 cm X 5 mm, slightly compressed; leaf = 75 cm X 0.9 cm, folded and covers culm; panicle = 39 cm; each raceme = 10 cm to 13 cm; very deeply (?) rooted, could not uproot one

Date : 6/7/12, 8.25 a.m.

Place : Nalikul, Hooghly

Information on the species is available at -

• http://envis.frlht.org/trade_search.php?lst_part=ROOTS&lst_trade=KHUS,+USIRA
  
• image - http://www.oswaldasia.org/species/c/chrzi/chrzi_04_en.html
• flora of Pakistan - http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=200026459
• flora of Taiwan - http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1050&taxon_id=200026459
• wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysopogon_zizanioides

Description differs to some degree in the above websites and to some extent with this posted species, specially relating to panicle and raceme length.

Thank you & Regards,

Surajit Koley

[Balkar Singh]

Nice and Complete set Surajit Ji

--
Regards

Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964

[surajit koley]

Thank you Balkar Sir, i have more poaceae and cyperaceae, couldn't find any clue!

Regards,

surajit

[amit chauhan]

dig some roots it has nice aroma

regards

--
Dr. Amit Chauhan
CSIR-CIMAP
amit...@gmail.com
amit...@rediffmail.com
amit.c...@cimap.res.in

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Why should man expect his prayer for mercy to be heard by What is above him when he shows no mercy to what is under him?  ~Pierre Troubetzkoy

[surajit koley]

Sir,

I have read about the scented roots of Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.). But it was not possible to dig the roots. It was beside a rail-line and there was human excreta everywhere! I will have to find the grass somewhere else.

Thank you & Regards,

Surajit Koley

[surajit koley]

Sir,

I took a herbarium of this grass to BSI Shibpur today. It has been identified as Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.), though authentication could not be done with seal & signature because i didn't maintain proper protocol.

Thank you & Regards,

Surajit Koley