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Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty

Synonym	:	Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash
Family	:	Poaceae
Local name	:	English-  Cuscus grass, Malayalam- Ramacham
Flowering and fruiting period	:	July-December
Distribution	:	India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka
Distribution in kerala	:	Alappuzha, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Malappuram, Thrissur, Kozhikkode, Ernakulam, Idukki, Palakkad, Kannur
Habitat	:	Banks of streams and backwaters, also cultivated.
Endemic /Exotic		India.
Uses	:	Widely used as cooling agent, tonic and blood purifier. It is used to treat many skin disorders and is known to have calming effect on the nervous system.
Key botanical characters:  Perennials. Culms to 180 cm high, erect, tufted; nodes glabrous. Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate, Panicles 15-37 cm long; pyramidal, contracted; racemes to 14 cm long, whorled. Spikelets in pairs, dissimilar. Sessile spikelets 3-5 mm long, lanceolate; lower glume 3-4 mm long, lanceolate, coriaceous, spinulose; upper glume 3-5 mm long, lanceolate; coriaceous; lower floret empty; upper floret bisexual; first lemma 3-4 x 1-2 mm, elliptic, second lemma 2-3 mm long, oblong; palea c. 2 mm long, oblong, hyaline; stamens 3, ovary elliptic., coriaceous; lower floret empty; upper floret male; first lemma c. 3 mm long, elliptic; second lemma c. 2 mm long, lanceolate; Palea c. 1 mm long, oblong; stamens 3.