LEMON GRASS. Genus Unknown.

This plant, which was introduced about fifteen years ago, has been pretty generally cultivated, and has thriven well, in most parts of Jamaica, but has never been observed to produce any flowers or seed, although carefully examined for several years running. It is thought to approach nearly to camel's hay (andropogon schœnanthus). The root is strong, woody, and tastes something like lemon peel, but more bitter; it is about half an inch in diameter, and several inches long, woody, and full of circular protuberances or ledges, about a quarter of an inch distant from each other, of a yellow colour, and sending forth at its end and sides many white fibres, and fresh shoots, which propagate the plant very fast, covering a large surface of ground, the old leaves decaying, while the new leaves shoot successively from the centre of the stem, which is round, and without joints, entirely formed of the stalks of the leaves circularly embracing each other, like the laminæ of a cabbage-tree. The leaves are frequently from three to four feet in length, and three quarters of an inch broad, striated, and resembling Guinea grass, as well as the plant generally, but they are of a harsher nature, and more coarse appearance, and no animal will eat them; to the touch they are rough and hard. These leaves have a very agreeable lemon-like smell, and the decoction of them, as well as of the root, is a very pleasant and cooling drink in fevers, which has also been found very beneficial in nervous head-aches: they may be dried and kept for use for a great length of time, as they have been found not to lose their virtues after a voyage to England.