Acorus calamus L.
  • Sp. Pl. : 324 (1753) 
  • Feileastram cumhra


Cite taxon page as 'WFO (2025): Acorus calamus L. Published on the Internet;http://www.worldfloraonline.org/taxon/wfo-0000350733. Accessed on: 04 Jun 2025'

Local Descriptions

Order descriptions by:

General Information

Rhizome stout, 4-10(-20) × (0.8-)1-1.5(-3) cm, aromatic; roots at lower side of rhizome. Leaves several, mid-green, often reddish at base, ensiform, (60-)70-100(-150) × (0.7-)1-2(-2.5) cm (mostly 1-1.5 cm wide), apex acuminate; midrib conspicuous on both sides. Peduncle compressed triangular, (15-)40-50 cm. Spathe mid-green, leaflike, 30-50 cm, acute. Spadix straight or slightly curved, erect, oblique, narrowly conic to subcylindric (tapering toward apex), 4.5-6.5(-8) × 0.6-1.2(-1.5) cm, densely flowered. Flowers yellowish green, 1.8-2 mm in diam. seen from above; tepals oblong, 2.5-3 × 1-1.2(-1.4) mm, keeled, membranous, apex triangular hooded; filaments oblong, flat, 2-2.5 × 0.3-0.5 mm, anthers cream-colored, 0.4-0.5 mm in diam.; pollen grains ca. 20 µm, exine shallowly and remotely foveolate; gynoecium obconic-cylindric, 2.5-3.5(-4) × (0.8-)1-2.3 mm, with conic, spongy apex and stigma very small. Infructescence 1.5-2 cm in diam., straw-brown at maturity, berries densely arranged. Berry oblong-obovoid, 1- to few seeded, (3.5-)4-4.5 × 2-3(-3.5) mm. Seed oblong-ellipsoid to ovoid, 2.5-3(-4) × 1-1.2(-1.8) mm, without bristles; testa light brown, subsmooth and slightly foveolate. Fl. (Feb-)Apr-Sep. 2n = 24, 36, 48.

  • Provided by: [G].Flora of China @ efloras.org
    • Source: [
    • 1
    • ]. 

    Leaves basally white with pink or red, otherwise bright green; single midvein (secondary midrib) prominently raised above leaf surface, usually somewhat off-center, other veins barely or not raised; cross section rhomboid. Vegetative leaves to 1.75 m; sheathing base (proximal part of leaf) 22.1--66.5(--73.3) cm; distal part of leaf 31.9--95.8(--117.6) ´ 0.5--2 cm, 1.4--1.8 times longer than proximal part of leaf, margins sometimes undulate or crisped. Sympodial leaf (29.9--)34.7--159.1(--183.9) cm, usually shorter than to nearly equal to vegetative leaves; sheathing base 16.1--76.4(--100.1) cm; distal part of leaf 13.5--86.2(--101.2) ´ 0.4--1.9 cm. Spadix (3.8--)4.9--8.9 cm ´ 5.3--10.8 mm at anthesis, post-anthesis spadix 5.5--8.7 cm ´ 6--12.6 mm. Flowers 3--4 mm; pollen grains not staining in aniline blue. Fruits not produced in North America. 2n = 36.

  • Provided by: [F].Flora of North America @ efloras.org
    • Source: [
    • 2
    • ]. 

    Perennial herb up to 80 cm tall. Rootstock stout, 1-1.5 cm broad, creeping, with long fibrous roots from the lower surface. Stem erect, glabrous, grooved at one side, and ribbed at the opposite. Leaves ensiform or linear, 55-100 x 8-1.5 cm. Spathe leaf-like, up to 46 cm long, not enclosing the spadix. Spadix 5-6.5 cm long, cylindrical, obtuse, 1-1.4 cm broad. Tepals c. 2 mm long, oblong-obovate, slightly curved, margin membranous, surface with embedded raphides. Filaments 2 mm long, flat, anthers less than 1 mm long, ± orbicular. Ovary 3 mm long, obconical; seeds obconical, 2 mm long,

  • Provided by: [C].Flora of Pakistan
    • Source: [
    • 3
    • ]. 

    Sweetly aromatic; lvs crowded at the base, erect, to 2 m, 8–25 mm wide; scape resembling the lvs, prolonged into an erect green spathe 2–6 dm; spadix 5–10 cm, 1 cm thick at anthesis, 2 cm at maturity, covered with yellowish-brown fls; fr 4–5 × 2 mm; 2n=18, 24, 36, 48. Swamps and shallow water; irregularly circumboreal, in Amer. from N.S. and Que. to Minn., Alta., and e. Wash., s. to Fla., Tex., and Colo. Spring and early summer. (A. americanus)

  • Provided by: [D].Northeastern Flora
    • Source: [
    • 7
    • ]. 

    Morphology

    Dallanmış, kalın, rizomlara sahip bitkiler. Rizomlar 6-21 x 1-4,5 cm, uzun silindirimsi ilâ dar konimsi-silindirimsi, kahverengi, ıtırlı. Yapraklar 22-130 x 0,4-1,2 cm, distih, kılıcına, kılıçsı, keskin kenarlı, belirgin damarlı, genellikle tabanda kırmızımsı, ıtırlı. Çiçekdurumu sapı basık üçyüzlü, yaprak benzeri, 14-115 x 0,4-1,2 cm. Sıpata 28-82 x 0,7-1 cm, dik duruşlu, dökülmez, yapraklara benzer. Koçan 3,5-7,5 × 0,7-1,2 cm düz veya kıvrık, yukarı yönlü dar açılı, dar koniksi ilâ silindirik; ucu küt, yoğun çiçekli. Çiçekler erselik, bıraktesiz, sarımsı-yeşil ilâ hafifçe kahverengi. Tepal 6 adet, dikdörtgensi, 1,5-2,5 x 1-1,2 mm. Erkek organlar 6 adet; filâmentler 1,8-2,4 x 0,4-0,6 mm, şeritsi; anterler kırem ilâ kirli beyaz, 0,3-0,4 mm. Ginokeum 2-3,2 x 1,2-1,5 mm, terskonik ilâ dikdörtgensi, açık ilâ koyu yeşil; sitigma çok küçük, sapsız.

  • Provided by: [H].The Illustrated Flora of TurkeyIrish Vernacular Names
    • Pflanze aromatisch riechend. 50–150 cm hoch. Stängel 3kantig, 2zeilig beblättert. Blätter lineal, steif aufrecht, 0,5–2 cm breit. Blütenstand ein scheinbar seitenständiger, 4–10 cm langer Kolben, aus kleinen, zwittrigen Blüten bestehend. Perigon

    • Provided by: [E].Flora Helvetica
      • Source: [
      • 6
      • ]. 

      Perennial herb, up to 2 m high. Leaves distichous; blade linear to sword-shaped, 0.8-2.0 m long, ± 10 mm wide, margins undulate. Flowers: densely congested on a lateral spadix, up to 90 mm long; spathe leaf-shaped, green like spadix; perianth 3-4 mm long, yellowish green; Feb., Mar. Perennial herb. Strongly pungent aromatic oils present in all parts of plant. Leaves sword-shaped, 0.8-2.0 m long. Spathe leaf-shaped and green like spadix. Spadix appears lateral, green.

    • Provided by: [B].e-Flora of South Africa
      • Source: [
      • 28
      • ]. 

      Ecology

      6. Röhricht, Sumpfgräben, kollin-montan. M, selten J, AN.

    • Provided by: [E].Flora Helvetica
      • Source: [
      • 6
      • ]. 

      Habitat

      Vredefort Dome Savanna. Wet swampy areas, disturbed streambanks, perennial shallow, slow-flowing or stagnant water. Shallow, slow-flowing or stagnant water adjoining streambank edges, swamp areas.

    • Provided by: [B].e-Flora of South Africa
      • Source: [
      • 28
      • ]. 

      Distribution

      Native to Asia. Native to Europe and Asia.

    • Provided by: [B].e-Flora of South Africa
      • Source: [
      • 28
      • ]. 

      Literature

      SELECTED REFERENCE

      Motley, T. J. 1994. The ethnobotany of sweet flag, Acorus calamus (Araceae). Econ. Bot. 48: 397--412.

    • Provided by: [F].Flora of North America @ efloras.org
      • Source: [
      • 2
      • ]. 
      Flora of North America @ efloras.orgLiterature

      SELECTED REFERENCE

      Motley, T. J. 1994. The ethnobotany of sweet flag, Acorus calamus (Araceae). Econ. Bot. 48: 397--412.

      General Information

      Leaves basally white with pink or red, otherwise bright green; single midvein (secondary midrib) prominently raised above leaf surface, usually somewhat off-center, other veins barely or not raised; cross section rhomboid. Vegetative leaves to 1.75 m; sheathing base (proximal part of leaf) 22.1--66.5(--73.3) cm; distal part of leaf 31.9--95.8(--117.6) ´ 0.5--2 cm, 1.4--1.8 times longer than proximal part of leaf, margins sometimes undulate or crisped. Sympodial leaf (29.9--)34.7--159.1(--183.9) cm, usually shorter than to nearly equal to vegetative leaves; sheathing base 16.1--76.4(--100.1) cm; distal part of leaf 13.5--86.2(--101.2) ´ 0.4--1.9 cm. Spadix (3.8--)4.9--8.9 cm ´ 5.3--10.8 mm at anthesis, post-anthesis spadix 5.5--8.7 cm ´ 6--12.6 mm. Flowers 3--4 mm; pollen grains not staining in aniline blue. Fruits not produced in North America. 2n = 36.

      Flora of PakistanGeneral Information

      Perennial herb up to 80 cm tall. Rootstock stout, 1-1.5 cm broad, creeping, with long fibrous roots from the lower surface. Stem erect, glabrous, grooved at one side, and ribbed at the opposite. Leaves ensiform or linear, 55-100 x 8-1.5 cm. Spathe leaf-like, up to 46 cm long, not enclosing the spadix. Spadix 5-6.5 cm long, cylindrical, obtuse, 1-1.4 cm broad. Tepals c. 2 mm long, oblong-obovate, slightly curved, margin membranous, surface with embedded raphides. Filaments 2 mm long, flat, anthers less than 1 mm long, ± orbicular. Ovary 3 mm long, obconical; seeds obconical, 2 mm long,

      e-Flora of South AfricaMorphology

      Perennial herb, up to 2 m high. Leaves distichous; blade linear to sword-shaped, 0.8-2.0 m long, ± 10 mm wide, margins undulate. Flowers: densely congested on a lateral spadix, up to 90 mm long; spathe leaf-shaped, green like spadix; perianth 3-4 mm long, yellowish green; Feb., Mar. Perennial herb. Strongly pungent aromatic oils present in all parts of plant. Leaves sword-shaped, 0.8-2.0 m long. Spathe leaf-shaped and green like spadix. Spadix appears lateral, green. Perennial herb. Strongly pungent aromatic oils present in all parts of plant. Leaves sword-shaped, 0.8-2.0 m long. Spathe leaf-shaped and green like spadix. Spadix appears lateral, green.

      Habitat

      Vredefort Dome Savanna. Wet swampy areas, disturbed streambanks, perennial shallow, slow-flowing or stagnant water. Shallow, slow-flowing or stagnant water adjoining streambank edges, swamp areas. Shallow, slow-flowing or stagnant water adjoining streambank edges, swamp areas.

      Distribution

      Native to Asia. Native to Europe and Asia. Native to Europe and Asia.

      Northeastern FloraGeneral Information

      Sweetly aromatic; lvs crowded at the base, erect, to 2 m, 8–25 mm wide; scape resembling the lvs, prolonged into an erect green spathe 2–6 dm; spadix 5–10 cm, 1 cm thick at anthesis, 2 cm at maturity, covered with yellowish-brown fls; fr 4–5 × 2 mm; 2n=18, 24, 36, 48. Swamps and shallow water; irregularly circumboreal, in Amer. from N.S. and Que. to Minn., Alta., and e. Wash., s. to Fla., Tex., and Colo. Spring and early summer. (A. americanus)

      Flora HelveticaMorphology

      Pflanze aromatisch riechend. 50–150 cm hoch. Stängel 3kantig, 2zeilig beblättert. Blätter lineal, steif aufrecht, 0,5–2 cm breit. Blütenstand ein scheinbar seitenständiger, 4–10 cm langer Kolben, aus kleinen, zwittrigen Blüten bestehend. Perigon

      Ecology

      6. Röhricht, Sumpfgräben, kollin-montan. M, selten J, AN.

      The Illustrated Flora of TurkeyIrish Vernacular NamesMorphology

      Dallanmış, kalın, rizomlara sahip bitkiler. Rizomlar 6-21 x 1-4,5 cm, uzun silindirimsi ilâ dar konimsi-silindirimsi, kahverengi, ıtırlı. Yapraklar 22-130 x 0,4-1,2 cm, distih, kılıcına, kılıçsı, keskin kenarlı, belirgin damarlı, genellikle tabanda kırmızımsı, ıtırlı. Çiçekdurumu sapı basık üçyüzlü, yaprak benzeri, 14-115 x 0,4-1,2 cm. Sıpata 28-82 x 0,7-1 cm, dik duruşlu, dökülmez, yapraklara benzer. Koçan 3,5-7,5 × 0,7-1,2 cm düz veya kıvrık, yukarı yönlü dar açılı, dar koniksi ilâ silindirik; ucu küt, yoğun çiçekli. Çiçekler erselik, bıraktesiz, sarımsı-yeşil ilâ hafifçe kahverengi. Tepal 6 adet, dikdörtgensi, 1,5-2,5 x 1-1,2 mm. Erkek organlar 6 adet; filâmentler 1,8-2,4 x 0,4-0,6 mm, şeritsi; anterler kırem ilâ kirli beyaz, 0,3-0,4 mm. Ginokeum 2-3,2 x 1,2-1,5 mm, terskonik ilâ dikdörtgensi, açık ilâ koyu yeşil; sitigma çok küçük, sapsız.

      Flora of China @ efloras.orgGeneral Information

      Rhizome stout, 4-10(-20) × (0.8-)1-1.5(-3) cm, aromatic; roots at lower side of rhizome. Leaves several, mid-green, often reddish at base, ensiform, (60-)70-100(-150) × (0.7-)1-2(-2.5) cm (mostly 1-1.5 cm wide), apex acuminate; midrib conspicuous on both sides. Peduncle compressed triangular, (15-)40-50 cm. Spathe mid-green, leaflike, 30-50 cm, acute. Spadix straight or slightly curved, erect, oblique, narrowly conic to subcylindric (tapering toward apex), 4.5-6.5(-8) × 0.6-1.2(-1.5) cm, densely flowered. Flowers yellowish green, 1.8-2 mm in diam. seen from above; tepals oblong, 2.5-3 × 1-1.2(-1.4) mm, keeled, membranous, apex triangular hooded; filaments oblong, flat, 2-2.5 × 0.3-0.5 mm, anthers cream-colored, 0.4-0.5 mm in diam.; pollen grains ca. 20 µm, exine shallowly and remotely foveolate; gynoecium obconic-cylindric, 2.5-3.5(-4) × (0.8-)1-2.3 mm, with conic, spongy apex and stigma very small. Infructescence 1.5-2 cm in diam., straw-brown at maturity, berries densely arranged. Berry oblong-obovoid, 1- to few seeded, (3.5-)4-4.5 × 2-3(-3.5) mm. Seed oblong-ellipsoid to ovoid, 2.5-3(-4) × 1-1.2(-1.8) mm, without bristles; testa light brown, subsmooth and slightly foveolate. Fl. (Feb-)Apr-Sep. 2n = 24, 36, 48.

      Distribution Map

       
      • Native distribution
      • Introduced distribution
      Specimens
      Found in
      • Asia-Temperate China China North-Central
      • China South-Central
      • China Southeast
      • Hainan
      • Inner Mongolia
      • Manchuria
      • Qinghai
      • Tibet
      • Xinjiang
      • Eastern Asia Japan
      • Korea
      • Middle Asia Kazakhstan
      • Kirgizistan
      • Uzbekistan
      • Mongolia Mongolia
      • Russian Far East Amur
      • Kamchatka
      • Khabarovsk
      • Kuril Is.
      • Primorye
      • Sakhalin
      • Siberia Altay
      • Buryatiya
      • Chita
      • Irkutsk
      • Krasnoyarsk
      • Tuva
      • West Siberia
      • Yakutskiya
      • Asia-Tropical Indian Subcontinent Assam
      • Bangladesh
      • East Himalaya
      • India
      • Laccadive Is.
      • Maldives
      • Nepal
      • Sri Lanka
      • West Himalaya
      • Indo-China Cambodia
      • Myanmar
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
      • Malesia Borneo
      • Jawa
      • Lesser Sunda Is.
      • Malaya
      • Philippines
      • Sulawesi
      • Europe Northern Europe Ireland
      • Northern America Eastern Canada New Brunswick
      • Newfoundland
      • Nova Scotia
      • Ontario
      • Prince Edward I.
      • Québec
      • North-Central U.S.A. Illinois
      • Iowa
      • Kansas
      • Minnesota
      • Nebraska
      • North Dakota
      • South Dakota
      • Wisconsin
      • Northeastern U.S.A. Connecticut
      • Indiana
      • Maine
      • Masachusettes
      • Michigan
      • New Hampshire
      • New Jersey
      • New York
      • Ohio
      • Pennsylvania
      • Rhode I.
      • Vermont
      • Northwestern U.S.A. Idaho
      • Montana
      • Washington
      • Southeastern U.S.A. District of Columbia
      • Virginia
      • Subarctic America Alaska
      • Northwest Territories
      • Western Canada Alberta
      • British Columbia
      • Manitoba
      • Saskatchewan
      Introduced into
      • Africa Southern Africa Cape Provinces
      • Free State
      • Asia-Temperate Caucasus North Caucasus
      • Transcaucasus
      • Western Asia Turkey
      • Asia-Tropical Indian Subcontinent Pakistan
      • Indo-China Andaman Is.
      • Papuasia New Guinea
      • Europe Eastern Europe Baltic States
      • Belarus
      • Central European Russia
      • East European Russia
      • Krym
      • North European Russia
      • Northwest European Russia
      • South European Russia
      • Ukraine
      • Middle Europe Austria
      • Belgium
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Germany
      • Hungary
      • Netherlands
      • Poland
      • Switzerland
      • Northern Europe Denmark
      • Finland
      • Føroyar
      • Great Britain
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Norway
      • Svalbard
      • Sweden
      • Southeastern Europe Albania
      • Bulgaria
      • Italy
      • Romania
      • Sicilia
      • Turkey-in-Europe
      • Yugoslavia
      • Southwestern Europe France
      • Northern America North-Central U.S.A. Missouri
      • Oklahoma
      • Northeastern U.S.A. West Virginia
      • Northwestern U.S.A. Colorado
      • Oregon
      • South-Central U.S.A. Texas
      • Southeastern U.S.A. Alabama
      • Arkansas
      • Delaware
      • Georgia
      • Kentucky
      • Louisiana
      • Maryland
      • Mississippi
      • North Carolina
      • South Carolina
      • Tennessee
      • Southwestern U.S.A. California

      Nationally Preferred Names

      NameLanguageCountry
      Feileastram cumhraIrishIE
      EğirotuTurkishTR
      Sweet-flagEnglishIE

      Other Local Names

      NameLanguageCountry
      KalmusGermanCH
      Sweet-flag, calamus
      Calamo aromaticoItalianCH
      Acore calameFrenchCH

        Bibliography

       Information From

      Acoraceae
      https://powo.science.kew.org/
      World Flora Online Data. 2022.
      • A CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0).
      e-Flora of South Africa
      e-Flora of South Africa. v1.36. 2022. South African National Biodiversity Institute. http://ipt.sanbi.org.za/iptsanbi/resource?r=flora_descriptions&v=1.36
      • B All Rights Reserved
      Flora of Pakistan
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • C Missouri Botanical Garden
      Northeastern Flora
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • D Content licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
      Flora Helvetica
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • E All Rights Reserved
      Flora of North America @ efloras.org
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • F Flora of North America Association
      Flora of China @ efloras.org
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • G Missouri Botanical Garden
      The Illustrated Flora of TurkeyIrish Vernacular Names
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • H Resimli Türkiye Florası (the Illustrated Flora of Turkey).
      The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)
      https://www.kew.org/
      The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet; https://doi.org/10.34885/jdh2-dr22 Retrieved 28 September 2023.
      • I All Rights Reserved
      Irish Vernacular Names
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • J All Rights Reserved
      ParseGBIF
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • K All Rights Reserved
      World Flora Online consortium
      http://www.worldfloraonline.org/organisation/WFO
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • L All Rights Reserved
      • M CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0).
      The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
      World Flora Online Data. 2024.
      • N See IUCN Terms and conditions of use http://www.iucnredlist.org/info/terms-of-use