Recently, an eye-catching news came from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences of Minzu University of China.A team led by Long Chunlin, a professor at the college, published a new species of the genus Acorus - Acorus nài.It is worth mentioning that this unique plant species was accidentally discovered by team students during a seemingly ordinary visit to the vegetable market. This makes people sigh that there are scientific mysteries hidden everywhere in life waiting for people to discover.
According to reports, Acorus calamus has a very unique fennel smell.This special smell makes it shine in the field of cooking, so it is widely used as a seasoning and frequently appears in the daily dishes of various ethnic groups in southwest my country.
In the lively local farmer’s market, Acorus calamus can be seen everywhere, and it has become an indispensable part of the local food culture. The local people are accustomed to calling it "shannai", which is where the name of Acorus calamus comes from.
Some people may be curious, why can this plant that has been eaten for generations be defined as a new species? In this regard, Professor Long Chunlin gave a professional explanation: "New species" has a strict scientific definition. It refers to a species that is discovered for the first time in science and named after detailed description.
Therefore, even if Acorus calamus is frequently used by people in daily life, as long as it has not been officially published in accordance with the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, which is strictly followed by scientists, it is fully qualified to be regarded as a new species.