Ethnobotany Of The Genus Calamus

Acorus is evergreen perennial hairless herb, and widely distributed in china. Literatures investigation and field surveys were conducted in this research. Acorus calamus has become a symbolic cultural plant during the Dragon Boat Festival in China. It is regarded as a holy plant to keep health for many centuries. Acorus has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and ethnomedicine by 25 ethnic groups. It is used for treating gastrointestinal disease, heart disease, unconsciousness, amnesia. It also has some other effects, such as anti-inflammatory and promoting wound healing. Acorus is edible and commonly used as ornamental plants. Due to substantial volatile oil of rhizomes, Acorus can serve as the source of spices. The most used parts are the whole plants and rhizomes. Compareing with the medicinal records from literatures, less treatment practices are existence now. In some local sites, only elders still know some uses of Acorus for treatment. The traditional knowledge is disappearing sharply.277 plant samples were collected from 10 provinces of China and 4 foreign countries (Japan, Portugal, Myanmar, Bhutan), and 133 samples were selected among them for DNA barcoding analysis. Using DNA barcoding technique to classify and identify Shannai Changpu (local name), and distinguishing with Acorus tatarinowii. DNA barcoding technique is accurate, rapid, easy operation, and low cost.This study has selected trnH-psbA sequence, rbcL sequence, trnL-trnF sequence, rbcL+trnL-trnF sequence as DNA barcode for Acorus. To analyse the PCR amplification sequence by evaluating barcoding gap, calculating the interspecific and intraspecific genetic distance, comparing polymorphisms of sequences and building NJ and ML phylogenetic trees. This study recommends rbcL sequence, trnL-trnF sequence, rbcL+trnL-trnF sequence as the core barcode of Acorus. The trnH-psbA sequence is not good for Acorus. The phylogenetic trees show Acorus tatarinowii and Shannai Changpu samples cluster in one branch respectively. However, they are close genetic relationships.The result of DNA barcode is consistent with ethnobotanical survey. The local people have wisdom on distinguishing Shannai Changpu from Acorus tatarinowii. They use Shannai Changpu for cook, meanwhile, provide evidence for the establishment of ethnotaxa.