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Araceae (view source)

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{{Taxobox
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__NOTOC__{{Plantbox
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| color = lightgreen
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| name = ''Araceae''
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| name = Arum family
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| common_names = Arum family
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| color = IndianRed
 
| image = Arum_flower.jpg
 
| image = Arum_flower.jpg
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| image_width = 200px
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| image_width = 180px    <!--- leave as 240px if horizontal orientation photo, or change to 180px if vertical -->
 
| image_caption = Flower of ''Xanthosoma roseum''
 
| image_caption = Flower of ''Xanthosoma roseum''
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| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
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| regnum = Plantae
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| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
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| divisio = Magnoliophyta
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| classis = [[Liliopsida]]
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| classis = Liliopsida
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| ordo = [[Alismatales]]
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| ordo = Alismatales
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| familia = '''Araceae'''
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| familia = Araceae
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| familia_authority = [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Juss.]]
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| subdivision_ranks = Genera
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| subdivision =
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See text.
   
}}
 
}}
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The '''arums''' comprise the '''Family Araceae''' (including the numerous '''aroids''' subfamily): [[Monocotyledon|monocotyledonous]] [[flowering plant]]s in which [[flower]]s 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.
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{{Inc|
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[[image:Arum maculatum 700.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Cuckoo-pint or Lords and Ladies (''[[Arum maculatum]]'') is a common arum in British woodlands]]
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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.
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In [[Plant sexuality|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 flower]]s the [[stigma (flower)|stigma]] is no longer receptive when the [[pollen]] is released, thus preventing self-[[fertilization]]. There are also some [[Plant sexuality|dioecious]] species.
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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.
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''[[Anthurium]]'' and ''[[Zantedeschia]]'' are two well-known members of this family, as are ''[[taro|Colocasia esculenta]]'' ([[taro]]) and ''[[Xanthosoma|Xanthosoma roseum]]'' (Elephant ear or ‘ape). Among the largest inflorescence in the world is that of the arum, ''[[Titan arum|Amorphophallus titanum]]'' (Titan arum). This family includes a great many [[ornamental plant]]s: ''[[Dieffenbachia]]'', ''Aglaonema'', ''[[Caladium]]'', ''Nephthys'', and [[Pothos|''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 [[rainforest]]s 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, ''[[Lemnaceae|Wolffia]]''.
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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.
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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.
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Many species have been used locally for medicine. Lagenandra toxicaria of Ceylon is extremely poisonous.
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The largest collection of living Araceae is maintained at [[Missouri Botanical Gardens]].<ref>. "The resources which have been built up for aroid research at the Missouri Botanical Garden include one of the largest living collections of aroids and the largest collection of herbarium specimens of neotropical aroids. The living and dried collections include a large percentage of Croat's more than 80,000 personal collections". ({{cite journal| author = Croat, Thomas B|year = 1998| title = History and Current Status of Systematic Research with Araceae| journal = Aroideana| volume = 21}}) </ref> 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]].
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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.
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[[image:Arum maculatum 700.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Cuckoo-pint or Lords and Ladies (''[[Arum maculatum]]'') is a common arum in British woodlands]]
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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).{{SCH}}
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===Genera===
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==Genera==
 
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== Note ==
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==Gallery==
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{{reflist}}
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{{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery  -->
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== References ==
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<gallery>
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*{{cite journal| author = Keating R C|year = 2004|title = Vegetative anatomical data and its relationship to a revised classification of the genera of Araceae|journal = Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden|volume =  91|issue = 3|pages= 485-494}}
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Image:Upload.png| photo 1
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*{{cite journal| author = Croat, Thomas B|year = 1998| title = History and Current Status of Systematic Research with Araceae| journal = Aroideana| volume = 21}} [http://www.aroid.org/literature/croat/history/efforts_after_1950.html on line]
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Image:Upload.png| photo 2
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Image:Upload.png| photo 3
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</gallery>
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== External links ==
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==References==
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* [http://www.cate-araceae.org/ CATE-Araceae] (and [http://scratchpad.cate-araceae.org/ scratchpad])
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*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
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{{commonscat|Araceae}}
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==External links==
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*{{wplink}}
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[[Category:Alismatales|Araceae]]
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{{stub}}
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[[Category:Araceae|*]]
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[[Category:Categorize]]
 
[[Category:Plant families]]
 
[[Category:Plant families]]
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