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Acorus calamus
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Family:
ARACEAE
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Citation: Acorus calamus L., Sp. Pl. 324. 1753; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 555. 1893; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1577(1100). 1931; Manilal & Sivar., Fl. Calicut 306. 1982; Antony, Syst. Stud. Fl. Kottayam Dist. 420. 1989; Joseph, Aquatic Angiosp. Malabar 283. 1991; M. Mohanan & Henry, Fl. Thiruvanthapuram 495. 1994; Ravikumar & Ved, Illustr. Field Guide 100 Red Listed Med. Pl. 34. 2000; Sunil & Sivadasan, Fl. Alappuzha Dist. 727. 2009; Ratheesh Narayanan, Fl. Stud. Wayanad Dist. 901. 2009.
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Malayalam Name(s):
Vayambu, Vashanpa
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Tamil name(s):
Vachha
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English name(s):
Sweet flag, Sweet root
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Description:
A strongly aromatic semi-aquatic perennial herb; rhizomes creeping, jointed, somewhat vertically compressed, 1.3-2.5 cm thick, pale to dark brown and spongy inside. Leaves narrow, up to 80 cm long, linear to narrowly ensiform, glossy bright green, apex acute, base amplexicaul; petioles sheathing for 20-50 cm. Flowers pale green, fragrant, arranged compactly on a sessile, cylindrical, stumpy spadix 5-7 cm long. Fruits (berries) green, angular, 3-celled, fleshy, containing 1-3 oblong seeds.
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Habit:
Herb
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Flowering & Fruiting:
April-July
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District(s):
Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki, Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikkode, Wayanad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Malappuram
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Medicinal:
Yes
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Habitat:
Semi-aquatic and marshy localities
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Distribution:
North temperate hemisphere and Tropical Asia
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Aquatic:
Yes
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Epiphyte(s):
No
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Saprophyte:
No
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Stem parasite:
No
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Root parasite:
No
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Flower colour(s):
Green
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Weed:
No
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Monocot/Dicot:
Monocotyledonous Plants
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Exotic:
Yes
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Garden:
No
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Edible:
No
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Vegetable:
No
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Endemic to:
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IUCN status:
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Altitude:
-2400
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Localities:
Old Devicolam, Manalady
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