Cook Islands Plants have been on the island of Atiu for at least 30 years, and probably much longer. They show no sign of any natural spreading, and in some former locations they can no longer be found. One particular plant, in a domestic garden, is known to be 28 years old but is still less than 1 m across.²⁸

Vetiver, of course, is a tropical plant and should not be expected to occur in Europe. There are, however, several exceptions: one is France.

Vetiver was introduced to the south of France as a potential source of ingredients for the perfume industry of Grasse, on the Côte d'Azur. ²⁹ It still exists there and survives the Mediterranean winter.

Recently, it has been tested as a barrier against soil loss, both there and on the slopes of the Massif Central.³⁰

Front Matter (R1-R14)

Introduction (1-10)

1 Worldwide Experiences (11-31)

2 Case Studies (32-48)

3 Conclusions (49-58)

4 Questions and Answers (59-70)

5 The Plant (71-83)

6 Next Steps (84-93)

Appendix A: Great Challenges, Great Opportunities (94-112)

Appendix B: Other Potential "Vetivers" (113-127)

Appendix C: Selected Readings (128-129)

Appendix D: Research Contacts (130-155)

Appendix E: Biographical Sketches (156-157)

The BOSTID Innovation Program (158-160)

Board on Science and Technology for International Development (BOSTID) (161-161)

BOSTID Publications in Print (162-172)