Araceae Totally Explained

Everything about Araceae totally explained

The arums comprise the Family Araceae (including the numerous aroids subfamily): monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like hood. This family of 107 genera and over 3700 species is most diverse in the New World tropics, although also distributed in the Old World tropics and north temperate regions. Recent genetic research by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group has shown that the duckweeds, previously treated in a separate family Lemnaceae, also belong in the Araceae.
   In monoecious aroids (possessing separate male and female flowers, but with both flowers present on one plant), the spadix is usually organized with female flowers towards the bottom and male flowers towards the top. In aroids with perfect flowers the stigma is no longer receptive when the pollen is released, thus preventing self-fertilization. There are also some dioecious species. Anthurium and Zantedeschia are two well-known members of this family, as are Colocasia esculenta (taro) and Xanthosoma roseum (Elephant ear or ‘ape). Among the largest inflorescence in the world is that of the arum, Amorphophallus titanum (Titan arum). This family includes a great many ornamental plants: Dieffenbachia, Aglaonema, Caladium, Nephthys, and Epipremnum, to name a few. In the genus Cryptocoryne are many popular aquarium plants. Both Taro and Monstera deliciosa provide food value (the fruit of Monstera deliciosa called "Mexican breadfruit"). Philodendron is an important plant in the ecosystems of the rainforests and is often used in home and interior decorating. Symplocarpus foetidus (skunk cabbage) is a common North American species. A interesting peculiarity is that this family includes the largest unbranched inflorescence, that of the titan arum, often erroneously called the "largest flower" and the smallest flowering plant and smallest fruit, found in the duckweed, Wolffia.
   Many plants in this family are thermogenic (heat-producing). Their flowers can reach up to 45 degrees Celsius even when the surrounding air temperature is much lower. One reason for this unusually high temperature is to attract insects (usually beetles) to pollinate the plant, rewarding the beetles with heat energy. Another reason is to prevent tissue damage in cold regions. Some examples of thermogenic Araceae are: Symplocarpus foetidus (eastern skunk cabbage), Amorphophallus titanum (Titan Arum), Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (elephant foot yam), Helicodiceros muscivorus (dead horse arum lily) and Sauromatum venosum (voodoo lily). Species such as Titan Arum and the dead horse arum give off a very pungent smell, often resembling a rotten animal. This is to attract flies to pollinate the plant. The heat produced by the plant helps to convey the scent further.
   The largest collection of living Araceae is maintained at Missouri Botanical Gardens. Another large collection of living Araceae can be found at Munich Botanical Garden, thanks to the efforts of the researcher and aroid authority Josef Bogner.

Genera

Subfamily Aroideae:

Aglaodorum Schott
Aglaonema Schott
Alocasia (Schott) G. Don, nom. cons.
Amorphophallus Blume ex Decne., nom. cons.
Ambrosina Bassi
Anchomanes Schott
Anubias Schott
Aridarum Ridl.
Ariopsis Nimmo
Arisaema Mart.
Arisarum Mill. - Mouse Plant, Friar's Cowl
Arophyton Jum.
Arum L.
Asterostigma Fisch. & C. A. Mey.
Biarum Schott, nom. cons.
Bognera Mayo & Nicolson
Bucephalandra Schott
Caladium Vent.
Callopsis Engl.
Carlephyton Jum.
Cercestis Schott
Chlorospatha Engl.
Colletogyne Buchet
Colocasia Schott, nom. cons. - Taros
Cryptocoryne Fisch. ex Wydler - Water trumpets
Culcasia P. Beauv., nom. cons.
Dieffenbachia Schott
Dracunculus Mill.
Eminium (Blume) Schott
Filarum Nicolson
Furtadoa M. Hotta
Gearum N. E. Br.
Gonatopus Hook. f. ex Engl.
Gorgonidium Schott
Hapaline Schott, nom. cons.
Helicodiceros Schott, nom. cons.
Heteroaridarum M. Hotta
Homalomena Schott
Hottarum Bogner & Nicolson
Jasarum G. S. Bunting
Lagenandra Dalzell
Lazarum A. Hay
Mangonia Schott
Montrichardia Crueg., nom. cons.
Nephthytis Schott
Peltandra Raf., nom. cons.
Philodendron Schott, nom. cons.
Phymatarum M. Hotta
Pinellia Ten., nom. cons.
Piptospatha N. E. Br.
Pistia L.
Protarum Engl.
Pseudodracontium N. E. Br.
Pseudohydrosme Engl.
Rhaphidophora
Remusatia Schott
Sauromatum Schott
Scaphispatha Brongn. ex Schott
Schismatoglottis Zoll. & Moritzi
Spathantheum Schott
Spathicarpa Hook.
Steudnera K. Koch
Stylochaeton Lepr.
Synandrospadix Engl.
Syngonium Schott
Taccarum Brongn. ex Schott
Theriophonum Blume
Typhonium Schott
Typhonodorum Schott
Ulearum Engl.
Xanthosoma Schott
Zamioculcas Schott
Zantedeschia Spreng., nom. cons.

Zomicarpa Schott

Zomicarpella N. E. Br.

Subfamily Calloideae:

Calla L.

Subfamily Gymnostachydoideae:

Gymnostachys R. Br.

Subfamily Lasioideae:

Anaphyllopsis A. Hay

Anaphyllum Schott

Cyrtosperma Griff.

Dracontioides Engl.

Dracontium L.

Lasia Lour.

Lasimorpha Schott

Podolasia N. E. Br.

Pycnospatha Thorel ex Gagnep.

Urospatha Schott

Subfamily Monsteroideae:

Alloschemone Schott

Amydrium Schott

Anadendrum Schott

Epipremnum Schott

Heteropsis Kunth

Holochlamys Engl.

Monstera Adans.

Rhaphidophora Hassk.

Rhodospatha Poepp.

Scindapsus Schott

Spathiphyllum Schott

Stenospermation Schott

Subfamily Orontioideae:

Lysichiton Schott

Orontium L.

Symplocarpus Salisb. ex W. P. C.
Barton, nom. cons.

Subfamily Pothoideae:

Anthurium Schott

Pedicellarum M. Hotta

Pothoidium Schott

Pothos L.

Subfamily Lemnoideae:

Landoltia

Lemna

Spirodela

Wolffia

Wolffiella

Dracontium L.

Note

Further Information

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