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Sweet-flag family
Acoraceae
ショウブ科
A monotypic family (1 genus, 2 species) at the very base of the monocot phylogeny. Under APG III, it represents the sister group to all other monocots and one of the most ancient monocot lineages. Acorus calamus is native to Japan and used for traditional iris baths on Boys' Day.
Key Characteristics
- ●Sword-shaped leaves arranged in two ranks
- ●Small bisexual flowers densely packed on a spadix
- ●Creeping rhizome with a distinctive aroma
- ●Grows in wetlands and along waterways
Morphological Traits
A family may include species with different trait values — multiple values indicate the range within the family.
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Parallel
Leaf margin
Entire
Growth form
Herb
Evergreen/Deciduous
Deciduous
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Aromatic
Aromatic
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Petal count
6 petals
Ovary position
Superior
Plant sex
Hermaphrodite
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Monocots > Acorales > Acoraceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous (ca. 100 Ma onwards)
Representative Genera
Related Evolution Events
- ・A key lineage for understanding the origin of monocots as the most basal monocot group
- ・Convergent evolution of spadix inflorescence independently from Araceae
Plants in Sweet-flag family on this site
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