Gavati Cha - गवती चहा
It is a tall perennial herb, a type of aromatic grass. It grows in
dense culms.
The stem is short, oblique, annulate, with branched rhizome.
The leaves are simple, long, linear with an entire margin and
pointed tip. They are rough to touch. They give out an aromatic
fragrance on crushing.
It rarely produces flowers. When they are produced, they are
minute and arranged on sessile spikelets. It has sterile flowers
on the lower part of the inflorescence and fertile flowers on the
upper part.
BOTANICAL NAME
Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf
FAMILY
Poaceae
FLOWERING
Rarely, October
FRUITING
Rarely, October
PROPAGATION
It can be propagated by seeds and vegetative cuttings
PLANT PART USED
Whole Plant
COMMON NAMES:
Lemon Grass, Oil Grass, West Indian Lemon Grass;
Hindi: Gavati Cha, Gandhatrina;
Marathi: Olecha; Bengali: Gandhabena;
Gujarati: Lilicha; Kannada: Majjigehullu;
Konkani: Oli-Cha; Malayalam: Vasana Pullu;
Sanskrit: Bhustrina;
Tamil: Karppurappul;
Telugu: Nimmagaddi.
USES
It is a flavoring agent in many dishes such as curries and soups.
Tea can be made with the leaves of lemon grass.
It is used as a folk remedy for a number of digestive problems.
The oil is used to treat a headache and musculoskeletal pain.
It boosts immunity and has antioxidant properties.
It shows anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
It is used to treat high blood pressure.
It is used to detoxify and purify the blood.
It helps in lowering blood glucose level in diabetics.
It is used to treating digestive tract spasms, stomachache.
It helps to cleanse and purify liver, kidney and bladder.
It has anti-microbial properties.
It can be used as an insect repellent.
