Vetiver (English spelling) Vetiveria zizanioides; vetiver

Japanese: ベチベル（英語表記）Vetiveria zizanioides; vetiver

A large perennial grass of the grass family, native to the former tropics but often cultivated in warmer regions to extract its fragrance. In Japan, it has been cultivated in Kagoshima Prefecture and Iwo Jima. It grows up to 2m tall, with broad linear, slightly rough, whitish-green leaves and long leaf sheaths. In autumn, it produces cone-shaped inflorescences in the leaf axils. The rhizomes contain 2-3% essential oil, the main component being vetiver. As it has low volatility, it is used as a retainer for perfume oils. Famous relatives of this species, lemongrass and citronella, extract their fragrance from their stems and leaves.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

イネ科の大きな多年草で，旧熱帯原産であるが，香料をとるため暖地でしばしば栽培される。日本では鹿児島県下や硫黄島で栽培されたことがある。草丈は 2mにもなり，葉は広線形，やや白緑色でざらつき，葉鞘は長い。秋に，葉腋に円錐状の花序をつける。根茎に精油2～3%を含み，主成分はベチベノールである。揮発性が少いので香油の保留剤として用いられる。本種に近縁なもので有名なレモングラスやシトロネラソウは茎葉から香料をとる。

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