A Comprehensive Review of Cymbopogon Using Herbarium Specimens from India

Abstract

Herbarium specimens serve as foundational resources for systematic, ecological, and evolutionary
studies, providing verifiable records for plant diversity and nomenclature. This study examined 738
herbarium specimens of the genus Cymbopogon collected from 36 Indian and international herbaria,
including 165 type specimens. The main objectives were to evaluate species diversity, identify dominant
and underrepresented taxa, and assess the role and completeness of type specimen documentation. The
results indicate that C. caesius (97 specimens) and C. flexuosus (89 specimens) are the most widely
represented species, whereas C. pendulus, C. commutatus, and C. winterianus remain poorly defined.
Type specimen assessment revealed significant variation in documentation across taxa, underscoring the
need for lectotypification in several underrepresented species. Continental distribution analysis showed
that Asian herbaria contribute the largest number of collections, followed by Europe and North America.
Despite the rich historical record, 55% of specimens lacked geospatial data and 9% lacked collection
dates, highlighting persistent metadata gaps. This work demonstrates the enduring value of herbarium
collections as repositories for taxonomic clarification, biodiversity documentation, and conservation
planning, while emphasizing the importance of integrating molecular and digital resources for future
taxonomic refinement of Cymbopogon.