Acorus angustifolius Schott; Calamus aromaticus Garsault

बोझो (Bojho); Sweet Flag

Taxon Description

Perennial reed-like emergent herb, up to 80 cm high. Rhizome stout, aromatic, usually 0.5−1.5 x 5−15 cm, branched, prostrate, with long fibrous roots, up to 30 cm long from the lower surface. Leaves mid-green, often reddish at base, all basal, erect, unifacial, ensiform, symmetric, 30-70 x 0.5-1.5 cm, apex tapering to acute tip, midrib conspicuous on both sides, margins smooth, slightly wavy, sometimes somewhat hyaline and paper-like, leaf sheath brownish, usually 3−6 cm. Spadix solitary, erect, sometimes slightly curved, 3.0−4.5 x 0.5−1.0 cm, yellowish green, densely flowered; terminal but apparently borne laterally on a foliage leaf, peduncle compressed, triangular, fused to the leaf, 15−30 cm long, narrowly conic to subcylindric (tapering toward apex). Flowers yellowish green. Tepals oblong, apex triangular-hooked, 2 x 0.4−0.7 mm, keeled, membranous. Anthers cream, 0.4–0.5 mm in diameter. Gynoecium obconic-cylindric; stigma sessile, round, ovules numerous in each locule. Fruits densely arranged, 1- to few- seeded, oblong-obovoid. Seeds oblong-ellipsoid to ovoid.

Distribution: Asia, Europe and N. America.

Altitudinal Range: 100-2700m
Ecology: Swampy, marshy, moist, muddy places, open field, water logged localities, riverbanks, rice fields, pond sides, also in standing water.
Uses: Often cultivated for the medicinal purpose.
Flowering and Fruiting: April-September

*Note:-Floral characters were described from the Flora of Kathmandu Valley and Flora of British India because all herbarium specimens those deposited in TUCH and KATH are having immature flowers and most of the specimens have only vegetative part.