Citronella (genus)

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{distinguish|text=Cymbopogon, from which citronella oil is produced}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Citronella (genus)}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = Citronella mucronata (R. et P.) D. Don (pabloendemico).jpg

|image_caption = Citronella mucronata

|taxon = Citronella (genus)

|authority = D.Don

|type_species =

|type_species_authority =

|synonyms_ref =

|synonyms = *Chariessa Miq.

• Briquetina J.F.Macbr.

}}

Citronella is a genus of trees and shrubs in the family Cardiopteridaceae described as a genus in 1832.[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25429131#page/263/mode/1up Don, David. 1832. Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal 13: 243-244] description in Latin, commentary in English[http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40009433 Tropicos, Citronella D.Don] It is native to tropical regions of South and Central America, insular Southeast Asia, Australia, and islands of the western Pacific.[http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=382930 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families] The genus was formerly treated as belonging to the family Icacinaceae.Howard R. A. 1942d Studies of the Icacinaceae. V. A revision of the genus Citronella D. Don. Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Harvard University 142: 60-89[http://www.florachilena.cl/Niv_tax/Angiospermas/Ordenes/Icacinaceae/Citronella/citronella.htm Genus Citronella from Encyclopedia of Chilean Flora]

Few species have been cultivated. Citronella mucronata, from Chile, is remarkable for its hardiness compared to other members of this genus. It is one of the most well-known of the species and has been introduced to Europe.{{Cite web | url=http://www.arrakis.es/~jmanuel/Plantaschilenas.pdf | title=Chilean plants cultivated in Spain | access-date=2008-01-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090320001648/http://www.arrakis.es/~jmanuel/Plantaschilenas.pdf | archive-date=2009-03-20 | url-status=dead }}Mabberley, D. 1997. The Plant-Book. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom. 858p.