Vetiver
It is native to India and has been introduced to many tropical countries. It is found in Brazil, China, Guatemala and Madagascar. The main producers of vetiver in the world are Indonesia and Haiti.
Vetiver derives its name from the Tamil term vettiveru and is called khus khus in many parts of India. On the island of Reunion there is vetiver of the best quality, the so-called bourbon vetiver, but its production is greatly reduced. The roots are extracted in a dry state when the plant is 2 or 3 years old. On Reunion Island, vetiver was used as thatch for roofing.
It is used extensively in perfumes, cosmetics, deodorants, lotions, soaps and aromatherapy applications. It is a favorite ingredient in many popular perfumes from Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, etc.