726 ORD. XLIV, Piperite. ACORUS CALAMUS, 
Class Hexandria. Ord. Monogynia. Lin. Gen. Plant. 434. 
Ess. Gen. Ch. Spadix cylindricus, tectus flosculis. Cor. 6-petalz, 
nude. Stylus nullus. Caps. 3-locularis. 
Sp. Ch. A. scapi mucrone longissimo foliaceo. Hort. Kew. 
THE root is perennial, horizontal, crooked, pointed, fibrous, 
somewhat compressed, about an inch thick, externally yellowish, 
with a greenish tinge, rugose, internally whitish, and of a spongy 
texture: the Icaves ave long, sword-shaped, sheathing one another, 
and commonly undulated on one side: the flowers are small, 
numerous, and produced on a spadix or conical spike at the edge 
of the leaf: there is no calyx: the corolla is composed of ‘six 
petals, which are small, membranous, concave, and appear trun- 
cated: the six filaments are thick, somewhat longer than the petals, 
and furnished with double anther: the germen is gibbous, 
oblong, without a style, and terminated by a pointed stigma: 
the capsule is oblong, triangular, and divided into three cells, 
containing numerous oval seeds. 
According to Linneus, this is the only true aromatic plant 
indigenous to northern climates. It is common in many parts 
of England, and usually grows in stagnant waters, and the sides of 
rivers, producing its flowers in May and June. 
The roots of Calamus aromaticus have been long medicinally 
employed,* and were formerly imported here from Asia and the 
Levant; but those of-English growth are now very generally sub: 
stituted, and found to be little or nothing inferior to the exotic 
sort, which is merely a variety of the same species. 
The root, in its dried state, has a moderately strong aromatic 
smell, and a warm pungent bitterish taste. “Water is found to 
extract the bitter matter of the root most completely, and rectified 
: The virtues of Calamus aromaticus are noticed both by the Greeks and 
Arabians. See Dios. L.1.c.2. Alpin. p. 141. 
: > Vide. Lin. Sp. Pl. p. 462. 
