Habitat: Warmer parts of India, from Punjab to Bengal and in South India.
English: Camel-Hay.Ayurvedic: Rohisha (var.).Unani: Rusaa Ghaas, Izkhar.Siddha/Tamil: Karpurapul, Rohisha- trna.Action: Roots and rhizome— carminative, stimulant, diaphoretic, emmenagogue; used for fever, cold and genitourinary affections.
Fresh leaves yield an essential oil (yield 0.8%). It contains a series of methyl ketones, along with limonene 19.5, camphene 8.0%, and a group of oxygenated sesquiterpenes, the major being elemol 4.5%.The fragrant oil is known as Rusa or Geranium Oil and is used as a substitute for rose oil. It exhibits stimulant, carminative, antispasmodic and diaphoretic properties. It is applied externally in rheumatism and neuralgia.