Species (& synonyms)	Acorus calamus L.
Vernacular name	Baje (Kan.); Vayambu (Mal.); Vasambu (Tam.).
Family	ARACEAE
Taxonomic status	Species
Habit	Rhizomatous herb
Habitat	Marshy and along rivers
Original global distribution	Tropical Asia, Europe and N.America.
Current regional distribution	Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
- Elevation (m)	Sea level to 2,400
- Range (km^2)	Not known (KA)	< 1,000 (KL)	> 20,000 (TN)
- Area occupied (km^2)	Not assessed (KA)	< 100 (KL)	> 2,000 (TN)
- No. of locations	Not known (KA)	7 (KL)	15 (TN)
Population Trends
- % decline	Not assessed (KA)	> 50 (KL)	> 20 (TN)
- Time/Rate (years or generations)	Not known (KA), 10 years (KL & TN).
- No. of mature individuals	Not known (KA)	Many (KL)	Many (TN)
Global population	Not assessed
Regional population	Not known (KA), declining rapidly (KL & TN).
Data quality	General field studies, informal sighting and indirect observation.
Recent field studies	A.G.Pandurangan (1998), Munnar; N.Anil Kumar (1999), Wynaad; C.R.Jawahar (1992), Triveni, Wynaad (KL). M. Sivadasan (1994), Nilgiris; P.S.Udayan (1990-98), Lovedale, Glenmorgan, Nilgiris; M.B.Viswanathan (1985), Andiappanar, North Arcot; K.Ravikumar (1995-98), Thenmalai MPCA; D.Stephen (1989-97), Nilgiris; Suresh Baburaj (1988), Ooty; K.Ravikumar (1985-97), Kodaikanal and High Wavy Mountains; M.P.Nayar (1995), Muthukuzi vayal, Kanniyakumari; P.S.Udayan (1998), Lovedale, Glenmorgan (TN).
Threats	Loss of habitat (L), Harvest for medicine (Hm), Fire (Sf), Trade of parts (Tp). Loss of habitat because of exotic plants (Lp).
Trade	Local and Commercial
Other comments	A population of around 200 individuals noticed during 1985 in the High Wavy Mountains has now been reduced to 5 individuals (K.Ravikumar, 1997). Proportion global population in Tamil Nadu < 5%.
Status
-IUCN:	DD (KA)	EN (KL)	VU (TN)
- Criteria based on	Population reduction (Aa.c.d), Extent of occurrence (B1,2a.b) – KL Population reduction (A1a.c) – TN
- CITES	No
- IWPA (1972; 91)	No
- National legialation	Yes in negative list of exports (Notification 2 (RE-98) dt 13.4.98, 1997-2002)
Recommendations
- Research management	Habitat management (Hm), Life history studies (Lh), Taxonomic and morphological genetic studies (T).
- P.H.V.A.	No
Cultivation prog. recommendations
- Cultivation	Level 3 (research)
- Level of difficulty	Level 1 (Least difficult)
Existing cultivation	Yes
- Names of facilities	Around 150 acres are under cultivation in Tumkur, Koratagere taluk, Gubbi, Kunigal & Chamarajnagar. Commonly cultivated in herbal and Botanical gardens, Arboretums in Shimoga, Dhanavantri Vana, UAS Gulburga University; Kottakal, TBGRI, KFRI; Horticultural research station, Ooty; Tampcol field station, Kolli hills and almost all MPCPs nursery gardens.
Previous assessment	VU in (Regionally), DD (Globally), compiled by S.S.R.Bennet, V.Chelladurai, R.J.R.Daniels, C.G.Kushalappa, Michael Maunder, A.G.Pandurangan, Purshottam Singh, V.S.Ramachandran, S.R.Ramesh, K.Ravikumar, Sally Walker, Sanjay Molur, N.Sasidharan, B.V.Shetty, M.Sivadasan, D.K.Ved, Vinay Tandon, M.B.Viswanathan.
Sources	P.S.Udayan, K.Ravikumar, M.Sivadasan, M.B.Viswanathan, V.Prabhakaran, M.P.Nayar, Suresh Baburaj (persn. observn.).
Compilers	M.Abdul Kareem, M.Ahmedullah, T.Ananda Rao, N.Anil Kumar, Anjali Wadehra, Anjana Mudappa, S.Aroumougame, S.S.R.Bennet, Dasappa, J.L.Ellis, K.R.Geetha, R.Gopalan, B.Gurudev Singh, V.P.Hiremath, V.Irudayaraj, Jagat Ram, C.R.Jawahar, P.John Jebaraj, C.G.Kushalappa, Mohan Karnat, N.Mohanan, K.N.Murthy, D.Narasimhan, M.P.Nayar, S.Noorunnisa Begum, A.G.Pandurangan, V.Prabhakaran, V.S.Ramachandran, S.R.Ramesh, K.Ravikumar, Sanjay Molur, N.Sasidharan, A.E.Shanawaz Khan, C.Seema, Y.N.Seetharam, B.V.Shetty, B.S.Somashekhar, T.S.Srinivasa Murthy, D.Stephen, Subhash Mali, S.P.Subramani, T.S.Suma, Sumy Oommen, D.Suresh Baburaj, M.H.Swaminath, P.S.Udayan, D.K.Ved, Vinay Tandon, M.B.Viswanathan.