Araceae: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 2, 2026

News •

Butterfly wing patterns may trick predators with motion illusions • Oct. 23, 2026, 2:30 PM ET (Lincoln Journal Star)

Facts

Also Known As	aroid family • arum family

Photos and Videos

Jack-in-the-pulpit

A blooming corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) with a tall yellow spadix and large maroon and green petal stands among tropical plants at the United States Botanic Garden.

Peace lily inflorescence

Rows of taro plants (Colocasia esculenta) with large, heart-shaped green leaves growing in cultivated soil in the Cook Islands.

Fresh taro tubers with stems attached are lined up for sale at a market in Hawaii.

Cluster of flamingo lily plants (Anthurium andraeanum) with glossy red spathes and yellow spadices, surrounded by large green leaves in pots.

Spadix of the cuckoopint (Arum maculatum) with a pale green, hood-like spathe surrounded by broad, green leaves growing from the forest floor.

The fascinating life cycle of the titan arum plant

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

Chinese evergreen calla lily watermeal peace lily philodendron Arisaema arum calla anthurium monstera Hydrocharitaceae Alismataceae pondweed