Keyed Out #130 — Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'

Question 1

Its tiny flowers pack a finger-like {spadix} that juts sideways from a flattened stalk, and the stalk simply carries on past it as a leaf-like blade, with no hood wrapped around the spike.

Accepted Answer

sweet flag family

Question 2

Under a hand lens each tiny flower on the spike is complete, with six scale-like {tepals}, six {stamens} and a central {ovary}, rather than bare male flowers stacked above bare female ones.

Accepted Answer

Acoraceae

Question 3

Pull a shoot apart at the base: each blade is folded lengthwise and straddles the next one inward, like the pages of a half-closed book.

Accepted Answer

leaves in one flat, two-ranked fan

Question 4

Crush a leaf and your fingers come away smelling sweet and spicy.

Accepted Answer

tissues laced with aromatic oil cells

Question 5

Hold a blade up to the light: it is flat, with fine parallel veins but no raised {midrib} on either face.

Accepted Answer

Acorus gramineus

Question 6

Dig up a clump: the blades rise from a slender creeping {rhizome} about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick, and no fleshy {tubers} swell along its fibrous roots.

Accepted Answer

Acorus gramineus