Vern.: Bach, Kull.

Perennial herb up to 80 cm tall. Rootstock stout, 1-1.5 cm broad, creeping, with long fibrous roots from the lower surface. Stem erect, glabrous, grooved at one side, and ribbed at the opposite. Leaves ensiform or linear, 55-100 x 8-1.5 cm. Spathe leaf-like, up to 46 cm long, not enclosing the spadix. Spadix 5-6.5 cm long, cylindrical, obtuse, 1-1.4 cm broad. Tepals c. 2 mm long, oblong-obovate, slightly curved, margin membranous, surface with embedded raphides. Filaments 2 mm long, flat, anthers less than 1 mm long, ± orbicular. Ovary 3 mm long, obconical; seeds obconical, 2 mm long,

Fl. Per.: June July.

Type: ‘Habitat var. a. in Europae and var. b. in Indiae fossis paludosis’.

Distribution: N. and C. America, Europe, Asia.

‘Sweet flag’ is found in marshy places and along river banks from (600-) 1000-2000 m. The rootstock is medicinal and yields an oil used in the manufacture of soap, cosmetics and in the liquor industry; it is also medicinal, being used in stomach complaints, snake bite, as an insect repellant, and for remittent fevers.