Calamus

Sweet Flag is a perennial herb, 30 to 100 cm tall. In habit it resembles the Iris. It consists of tufts of basal leaves that rise from a spreading rhizome. The leaves are erect yellowish-green, radical, with pink sheathing at their bases, sword-shaped, flat and narrow, tapering into a long, acute point, and have parallel veins. The leaves have smooth edges, which can be wavy or crimped. The sweet flag can easily be distinguished from Iris and other similar plants by the crimped edges of the leaves, the fragant odour it emits when crushed, and the presence of a spadix.

Only plants that grow in water bear flowers. The solid, triangular flower-stems rise from the axils of the outer leaves. A semi-erect spadix emerges from one side of the flower stem. The spadix is solid, cylindrical, tapers at each end, and is 5 to 10 cm in length. A covering spathe, as is usual with Acoraceae, is absent. The spadix is densely crowded with tiny greenish-yellow flowers. Each flower contains six petals and stamens enclosed in a perianth with six divisions, surrounding a three-celled, oblong ovary with a sessile stigma. The flowers are sweetly fragrant. In Europe, it flowers for about a month in late spring or early summer, but usually does not bear fruit. The fruit is a berry filled with mucus, which when ripe falls into the water and thus disperses. Even in Asia, it fruits sparingly, and propagates itself mainly by growth of its rhizome, forming colonies.

Other benefits and effects of Acorus calamus:

• Cures psychological disorders like depression
• Gives relief from arthritis, gout, and rheumatism
• Hormone secretion in the body
• Prevents epileptic fits
• Prevents hysteric attacks
• Relieve from nervous spasms
• Stimulation of blood circulation

consult your physician before attempting to heal a serious condition, also if you are on medication such as antidepressants