Acorus calamus L.

 ACORACEAE (Araceae)

Vernacular names:
Hindi             - Bajai, Gora-bach, Vasa Bach
Kannada        - Baje
Malayalam      - Vayambu
Marathi          - Vekhand
Sanskrit         - Bhutanashini, G%mi, Jatila,
Tamil             - Vasambu
Telugu           - Vasa, Vadaja

Threat status:
Data Deficient – KA
Endangered (A 1 c,d) - KL
Vulnerable (A 1 c) - TN

Habit: Rhizomatous herb

Habitat: Semi-aquatic and marshy localities

Altitude: Up to 2400 m

Distribution: Global: Asia, southeast USA, widely naturalised throughout northern hemisphere notably in Europe. National: Almost throughout the country, often cultivated. Regional: Wild populations are noticed in certain hill tracts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. In Karnataka it is seen only under cultivation.

Description: A perennial aromatic herb with creeping rhizomes. Rhizomes semi-succulent, cylindrical, about 2 cm diameter, whitish inside when freshly cut, strongly aromatic, growing horizontally up to 2 m long, with remains of scaly old leaves and also with many roots. Roots up to 50 cm long, dense, fibrous, white, sub-fleshy, vertically growing. Leaves equitant, arising from the nodes of the rhizome, ensiform, 45-180 cm long and 0.75-3 cm wide, green, flat, ribbon-like, strongly aromatic, hairless, shiny. Flowersbisexual, small, light brown, densely and compactly arranged in an erect, cylindrical, column-like structure called spadix, which is arising laterally from the leaf. This spadix is free from the leafy, hood-like structure called spathe, which is about 15 cm long, pale green. Berries oblong. Seeds few.

Phenology: Flowering: March to April; Fruiting: June to August. Generally the flowers and fruits are rarely seen.

Medicinal uses: The rhizome has a strong smell, is acrid and bitter, capable of improving memory power and intellect. It is useful in improving digestion, clearing speech and curing diarrhoea, dysentery, abdominal obstruction, epilepsy, headache, wound, colic, piles, acid gastritis, heart, eye, ear and mouth diseases. It cures infantile fever, cough, bronchitis, asthma, hysteria and chronic rheumatic complaints. Administering a paste of the rhizome in ghee to infants is one of the first post-natal rituals of Indian mothers as it is believed to help develop intellect of the infant.

Trade information: Local, regional and global. This drug consists of whole dried rhizomes or transversely cut pieces obtained by peeling. It is sold at Rs.20 to SO/Kg. (Market studies, 1999-2000). It is traded under the name Bacha or Ghorbacha. Roots of Alpinia galanga and Aconitum spp. are sometimes erroneously supplied in place of Vacha. The commercial material is adulterated with the rhizomes of Costus speciosus.

Mode of propagation: By rhizome cuttings

Special characters: This gregarious herb is confined to marshy localities. It has strongly aromatic leaves and rhizomes.