2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Calamus (Latin Acorus) - the only genus of herbaceous perennial plants of the Airovye family, or Airnye (lat. Acoraceae). The Airov family received an independent status only 30 years ago (1987), and before that it was listed as the most primitive member of the Aroid family, being its ninth subfamily. The Airov family owes its independent status to the scientist of the Missouri Botanical Garden, Michael H. Grayum, who singled out the genus Air from the Aroid family. The correctness of this isolation was confirmed by molecular analysis of plants of the genus.
What's in your name
It is assumed that the Latin name of the genus "Acorus" is based on the ancient Greek language, in which a word with a similar sounding meant "ugly". The culprit of this name is probably the greenish-yellow nondescript inflorescences of plants of the genus.
The Russian name of the genus "Air" came from the Turkish language, in which this plant is consonantly called. The Turkish name is again based on the ancient Greek. So, the ancient Greek language continues to live in the names of many plants.
Description
Plants of the genus have chosen for themselves the habitat of the outskirts of swamps or shallow water, that is, they prefer damp places. The height of plants of different species can vary dramatically, ranging from 10 to 120 centimeters.
The perennial guarantee of plants of the genus Air is a thick (up to three centimeters in diameter) rhizome, brown outside, spreading horizontally. The white-pink heart of the rhizome has a pleasant smell, which some compare to tangerine scent, while others it resembles the scent of cinnamon. The rhizome is quite edible.
Adventitious roots extend from the rhizome into the soil, and a triangular erect stem is born on the surface, which does not like to branch and has sharp edges.
Bright evergreen xiphoid long leaves surround the stem, tightly fused with each other around the base of the stem and fan-like scattering with their sharp ends to the sides. Cut leaves give off a persistent spicy smell that lasts a long time indoors.
The inflorescence in the form of a cylindrical ear is formed by very small bisexual flowers of a greenish-yellow color. From external adversity, the inflorescence is protected by a covering long leaf, born from the base of the peduncle.
The fruits are elongated dry berries with numerous seeds.
Varieties
Various sources count from two to six plant species in the Air genus, including:
* Reed calamus (lat. Acorus calamus) - in our country it is often called “Common calamus” or “Marsh calamus”.
* Calamus cereal (lat. Acorus gramineus) - or "Calamus cereal", has softer leaves than the previous species.
* Air Tatarinova (Latin Acorus tatarinowii).
* Broad-leaved calamus (Latin Acorus latifolius).
* American calamus (Latin Acorus americanus).
Usage
Ornamental leaves, combined with unpretentiousness and cold resistance, make the plants popular in the design of garden ponds. Small calamus cereal feels great in aquariums, at the same time being a water purifier.
The fragrant pulp of the rhizome was used by people as a food product, but today both the most common types of calamus (marsh and cereal) in Russia are included in the list of plants hazardous to health, containing poisonous and narcotic substances.
Calamus oil, contained in the rhizome of plants, is extracted and used in the perfume industry as well as in scientific medicine.
Traditional healers use Calamus leaves and rhizomes, which have a range of medicinal properties, to support the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and other ailments.
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Iris Calamus
Iris calamus also known as iris yellow. This plant is perennial, while its height can reach up to one hundred centimeters in length. The rhizome of this plant is thick and branched, and the stem is erect and branched at the top. The lower leaves of the plant are linear-xiphoid, and the upper ones are linear-lanceolate, while the width of such leaves ranges from one centimeter to three, and the leaves are bright green in color.
Calamus Marsh
Calamus marsh - the origin of this name is associated with the Greek word, which means "eyeball". This is due to the fact that since ancient times calamus has been used to get rid of various eye diseases. Description of the plant Marsh calamus is a perennial plant, the height of which can even exceed one meter.
Calamus Cereal
Calamus cereal (Latin Acorus gramineus) Is a slow-growing plant belonging to the Aproye family. Description Calamus cereal is also called herbaceous - it received this name for the leaves similar to cereals. This perennial is endowed with highly branching creeping rhizomes up to one centimeter thick.
Marsh Calamus - Useful And Unpretentious
Marsh calamus is called differently - yaver and ore root, saber and reed calamus, as well as Tatar grass or Tatar potion. Behind all these names is a rather unpretentious and incredibly useful plant. This lover of humid terrain usually lives near lakes and ponds, along river banks, in picturesque swampy meadows and in beautiful quiet backwaters. There is a popular belief that calamus helps only kind people who radiate warmth and light and strive in every possible way for dos
Calamus Cereal - Lover Of Moisture
Calamus cereal, also called herbaceous, got its name for the leaves resembling cereals. In nature, it grows in shallow waters and damp areas. It is a very hardy, light-loving, slow-growing plant, even suitable for cultivation in aquariums. Calamus will be ideal for mini-ponds. It looks especially impressive when surrounded by marigolds and candelabra primroses, as well as next to small hosts and astilbe
