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Sweet Flag
Acorus calamus
γ·γ§γ¦γ
A perennial herb growing along ponds and marshes. Famous for its use in 'Shobu-yu' (sweet flag baths) during the Boys' Day festival on May 5th. The leaves are aromatic. It is distinct from Iris (Hanashobu), belonging to a different family.
Identification Points
- βDense sword-shaped leaves; aromatic when touched
- βSpadix emerges laterally from the middle of a leaf-like spathe
- βRhizome creeping; forms colonies in wetlands and water margins
Habitat
Pond and marsh margins, waterways, and wetlands
Season
MayβJuly (flowers)
Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Growth form
Herb
Habitat
Wetland
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Parallel
Leaf margin
Entire
Petal count
6 petals
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Flower symmetry
Actinomorphic
Ovary position
Superior
Plant sex
Hermaphrodite
Aromatic
Aromatic
Phylogenetic Positionγ·γ§γ¦γη§ β
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Monocots > Acorales > Acoraceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous (ca. 100 Ma onwards)
Evolution Notes
Acoraceae is positioned as the earliest diverging lineage of monocots, being the sister group to all other monocotyledons.
View on evolution timeline βSources & References
AI-generated, needs verification