description
Calamus is a tall perennial wetland monocot of the Acoraceae family. In
spite of several of the common names it is neither a rush or sedge. It
produces tiny green flowers, but does not bear fruit. The leaves are
stem-less, shaped like spears and arranged in dual rows. The root system consists of shallow branching rhizomes that
are stout and knobby; they have a brown exterior and white interior. A tuft
of basal leaves occur at intervals along these rhizomes, while coarse
fibrous roots develop below. The rhizome yields
an oil that is highly fragrant and imparts a bitter flavor.
Calamus is
1-4' tall, consisting of tufts of basal leaves that emerge directly from a
spreading rootstock. These basal leaves are erect and sword-shaped,
resembling the basal leaves of Iris, but more green. They are flattened on
one side more than the other, smooth along the margins, and have parallel
veins. There is often an off-center ridge/indentation along the length of
each leaf. Sometimes the bases of the leaves or their margins are slightly
red.
Some leaves develop a cylindrical spadix that is about 2–4" in length
and semi-erect. This spadix is covered with tiny greenish yellow flowers in
a diamond-shaped pattern. Each flower has 6 tepals and 6 stamens.
The spathe
is regarded as absent by some authorities, while others consider the spathe
to be a bract-like extension of the basal leaf.
The blooming period occurs
from late spring to early summer and lasts about a month. Both the crushed
foliage and rootstocks have a pleasant aromatic fragrance. Because Sweet
Flag is a sterile polyploid species, it doesn't produce any fruit with
fertile seeds. This plant spreads vegetatively by its rhizomes
and often forms colonies.
common names & nomenclature
The Latin word acorus is derived from the Greek áchórou, which is derived
from kóri which means pupil (of an eye). The Latin word calamus means
"cane". The name sweet flag refers to its sweet scent and its similarity to
Iris species, which have been commonly known as flags in English since the late
fourteenth century.
Also known as:
calamus, sweet flag, cinnamon sedge, sweet sedge, sweet root, sweet cane, sweet rush, myrtle grass, myrtle flag, gladdon, german ginger, beewort, bitter pepper root, calamus root, flag root, myrtle root, myrtle sedge, pine root, rat root, sea sedge, sweet cinnamon, sweet grass, sweet myrtle
