Araceae

Plant Characteristics

Cultivation

Scientific Names
Araceae >

Read about Araceae in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture
The Cuckoo-pint or Lords and Ladies (Arum maculatum) is a common arum in British woodlands Araceae (from the genus Arum, the ancient name of these plants). Arum Family. Fig. 10. Herbs, shrubs, or trees, of the most diverse habit and appearance, often climbing, or epiphytic with aerial roots, rarely floating, usually subfleshy; juice sometimes milky: leaves ensiform or broad, parallel- or netted-veined, entire or variously cut: flowers bisexual or unisexual, rarely reduced to a single stamen and carpel, regular, hypogynous or epigynous, disposed on an unbranched fleshy axis (spadix), which is usually subtended by a special bract (spathe); perianth 0, or of 4-8 parts; stamens 1 to many; carpels 1 to several; ovary superior or inferior, 1 to several-celled, 1 to many-ovuled; style and stigmas various: fruit a berry; seeds albuminous, outer integument fleshy. Araceae has over 100 genera and about 900 species, widely distributed, but most abundant in the tropics, especially as epiphytes in the deep, damp forests. The majority in the temperate regions are swamp-plants. The largest genera are Philodendron with 100 species, and Arisaema with 50 species. The family stands as the type of the spathe-bearing plants. Its close relatives are the Lemnaceae, Palmaceae, and Cyclanthaceae, from which it is distinguished more by general habit and texture than by structural details. The pollination of the Araceae is often complicated and remarkable (see Kerner and Oliver). The transfer of the pollen is mostly accomplished by flies, which are frequently attracted by lurid color and carrion scent. The leaves of Monstera are remarkable for their peculiar perforations, while the massive petioles of other Araceae are sometimes mottled like snakeskin. Pistia is a much-reduced floating aquatic, transitional to the Lemnaceae. The aerial roots of the epiphytic species are frequently covered with a special water-absorbing tissue. The unfolding spathes of the Araceae are noted for the heat evolved. The tissues are usually very mucilaginous and filled with needle-like crystals of calcium oxalate. These crystals are supposed to give the pungent flavor to Indian turnip simply by mechanically penetrating the tongue. Many species have been used locally for medicine. Lagenandra toxicaria of Ceylon is extremely poisonous. Dieffenbachia Seguine and Arisaema, triphyllum are violent irritants when chewed, causing the mouth to swell. Arum maculatum of Europe was used by the ancients as an excitant. The roots of Symplocarpus have been used for asthma and colds. The roots of Acorus Calamus (sweet flag) are aromatic and used for coughs, colds, and the like. The thick rootstocks and roots of many have been used for food, e.g., Orontium aquaticum of North America, Colocasia antiquorum of India, Alocasia macrorhiza (taro) of the Pacific Islands, and Peltandra virginica of North America. The rhizomes of Arisaema maculatum and Calla palustris, mixed with cereals, according to Linnaeus, serve for food among the Laps and Finns. Portland arrowroot is derived from Arums. The delicately flavored, juicy fruits of Monstera deliciosa are eaten in Mexico. The shoots of Xanthosoma sagittifolium, called caraibe cabbage, are eaten as a vegetable in the Antilles. The aerial roots of aroids are used to tie bundles of sarsaparilla sent to Europe and America. Because of their odd habit and strange appearance, as well as, in some cases, for real beauty, many Araceae are in cultivation, mostly as conservatory plants. Many genera are in the American trade. Among these are: Acorus (Sweet Flag); Alocasia; Amorphophallus (Devil's Tongue, Snake Palm, Stanley's Wash-Tub); Anthurium; Arisaema (Indian Turnip, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Dragon Root, Fringed Calla); Arum (Black Calla, Solomon's Lily, Lord and Ladies, Cuckoo Pint, Wake-Robin of England); Biarum; Caladium; Calla; Colocasia; Dieffenbachia; Helicodiceros (Hairy Arum) ; Monstera (Ceriman, Shingle Plant); Nephthytis; Orontium (Golden Club) ; Peltandra (Water Arum) ; Pistia (Water Lettuce, Tropical Duckweed); Pothos; Sauromatum; Schizmatoglottis; Spathiphyllum; Symplocarpus, or Spathyema (Skunk Cabbage); Xanthosma (Malanga); Zantedeschia, or Richardia (Calla Lily, Lily-of-the-Nile).^CH The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.