Acorus gramineus explained

Acorus gramineus, commonly known as Japanese sweet flag, Japanese rush, grassy-leaved sweet flag, and grass-leaf sweet flag,^[1] is a botanical species belonging to the genus Acorus, native to Japan, Korea, and eastern Asia. The plant usually grows in wetlands and shallow water.

The genome of A. gramineus has been published by independent research groups in 2022 and 2023.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Description

This shrubby plant's long, narrow, slightly curved leaves may grow to 30 cm (12 inches) in height. It can grow fully or partially submerged, or in very moist soil, but it will usually only flower when at least partially submerged.

Var. pusillus has slightly shorter, more rigid glossy green leaves, while var. variegatus has longer leaves streaked with yellow.

Cultivation and uses

Acorus gramineus spreads aggressively by rhizome, creating a nearly-seamless groundcover where conditions are favorable, and it is frequently used around the edges of ponds and water gardens,^[5] as well as submerged in freshwater aquaria. It can be propagated by dividing the fleshy underwater rhizome and planting the base in shallow water.

In Japan during the Heian period, leaves of the plant were gathered for the Sweet Flag Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month. Sweet flag and wormwood were spread on the roofs of houses for decoration and to ward off evil spirits. Special herbal balls made of sweet flag were also fashioned for the occasion.^[6]

References

• Book: Simon & Schuster's Guide to Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Fishes. New York, New York, United States. Simon & Schuster, Inc.. 1976. 0-671-22809-9. registration.
• Book: . Sei Shōnagon . Sei Shōnagon . Meredith McKinney . London, England . Penguin Books, Ltd. . 2006 . 0-140-44806-3 . 41–42, 282 .

Notes and References

1. Book: English Names for Korean Native Plants . . 2015 . 978-89-97450-98-5 . Pocheon . 517 . 25 January 2016 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170525105020/http://www.forest.go.kr/kna/special/download/English_Names_for_Korean_Native_Plants.pdf . 25 May 2017 .
2. Ma . Liang . Liu . Ke-Wei . Li . Zhen . Hsiao . Yu-Yun . Qi . Yiying . Fu . Tao . Tang . Guang-Da . Zhang . Diyang . Sun . Wei-Hong . Liu . Ding-Kun . Li . Yuanyuan . Chen . Gui-Zhen . Liu . Xue-Die . Liao . Xing-Yu . Jiang . Yu-Ting . 2023-06-20 . Diploid and tetraploid genomes of Acorus and the evolution of monocots . Nature Communications . en . 14 . 1 . 3661 . 10.1038/s41467-023-38829-3 . 2041-1723 . 10282084 . 37339946. 2023NatCo..14.3661M .
3. Guo . Xing . Wang . Fang . Fang . Dongming . Lin . Qiongqiong . Sahu . Sunil Kumar . Luo . Liuming . Li . Jiani . Chen . Yewen . Dong . Shanshan . Chen . Sisi . Liu . Yang . Luo . Shixiao . Guo . Yalong . Liu . Huan . 2023-06-20 . The genome of Acorus deciphers insights into early monocot evolution . Nature Communications . en . 14 . 1 . 3662 . 10.1038/s41467-023-38836-4 . 2041-1723 . 10281966 . 37339966. 2023NatCo..14.3662G .
4. Shi . Tao . Huneau . Cécile . Zhang . Yue . Li . Yan . Chen . Jinming . Salse . Jérôme . Wang . Qingfeng . 2022. The slow-evolving Acorus tatarinowii genome sheds light on ancestral monocot evolution . Nature Plants . en . 8 . 7 . 764–777 . 10.1038/s41477-022-01187-x . 2055-0278 . 9300462 . 35835857.
5. Web site: Acorus gramineus . 2007-11-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071113233217/http://www.floridata.com/ref/A/acor_gra.cfm . 2007-11-13 . dead .
6. Book: Sei Shōnagon . McKinney . Meredith . The pillow book . 2006 . Penguin Classics . London, England . 0140448063 . 41-42, 87-88, 282.