What is the Araceae plant family?

The Araceae is a large family of flowering plants, also known as aroids, comprising over 4,000 species in more than 140 genera. They are most common in the tropics and can be climbers, herbaceous plants, or free-floating aquatics. Araceae species are monocotyledons, characterized by a spathe and spadix inflorescence. The leaves typically contain calcium oxalate. Some species are thermogenic, generating heat to attract pollinators with a fetid odor. The Araceae family contains eight subfamilies: Aroideae, Gymnostachydoideae, Lasioideae, Lemnoideae, Monstereae, Pothoideae, Orontioideae, and Zamioculcadoideae. Common genera include Arum , Arisaema , Colocasia , and Philodendron . Many members of Araceae, such as Spathiphyllum , Monstera , and Philodendron , are cultivated as houseplants. Taro ( Colocasia esculenta ) is a significant food source, and others have been used historically for food and medicine.

Where do most Araceae plants grow?

The Araceae family, containing over 4,000 species in more than 140 genera, is most common in the tropics . Araceae, also known as aroids, are a large family of flowering plants in the order Alismatales. The family includes many climbers and herbaceous plants, as well as rooted or free-floating aquatics. Most have leaves featuring a distinct petiole and an expanded blade.

What are common features of Araceae plants?

The Araceae, also known as aroids, are a large family of flowering plants with over 4,000 species found worldwide but are most common in the tropics. They include climbers, herbaceous plants, and aquatics. Aroids are characterized by their unusual inflorescence: tiny bisexual or unisexual flowers densely packed on a fleshy spike called a spadix , typically accompanied by a leafy or fleshy spathe . Their leaves usually have a distinct petiole and an expanded blade, often containing calcium oxalate crystals. Some species are thermogenic, generating heat to attract pollinators with a scent of rotting flesh.

Why are some Araceae plants grown as houseplants?

The Araceae family, also known as aroids, is a large family of flowering plants that contains more than 4,000 species. Many members of this family are grown as houseplants because they can adapt to the adverse conditions of dry heat and low light intensity that prevail in many houses. Aroids include a number of common houseplants, such as philodendrons , dumb canes and Chinese evergreens . Many types of houseplants absorb airborne pollutants as part of their normal "breathing" process.

How do Araceae plants reproduce and spread in nature?

Araceae plants exhibit diverse reproduction and dispersal strategies. They can reproduce sexually with bisexual or unisexual flowers tightly packed on a spadix, often with a spathe. Some species are thermogenic, producing heat to attract pollinators with a scent of rotting flesh. Asexual reproduction occurs through fragmentation, where plant parts regenerate into new organisms. Additionally, some Araceae members employ geocarpy, producing fruits underground or actively burying them, aiding in localized dispersal.

Araceae

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Images & Videos

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.

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.

Quick Facts

Related Topics:: peace lily; philodendron; Chinese evergreen; watermeal; calla lily

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Araceae

plant family

Also known as: aroid family, arum family

Written by

Melissa Petruzzello

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 2, 2026 •History

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Top Questions

What is the Araceae plant family?
The Araceae is a large family of flowering plants, also known as aroids, comprising over 4,000 species in more than 140 genera. They are most common in the tropics and can be climbers, herbaceous plants, or free-floating aquatics.

Araceae species are monocotyledons, characterized by a spathe and spadix inflorescence. The leaves typically contain calcium oxalate. Some species are thermogenic, generating heat to attract pollinators with a fetid odor.

The Araceae family contains eight subfamilies: Aroideae, Gymnostachydoideae, Lasioideae, Lemnoideae, Monstereae, Pothoideae, Orontioideae, and Zamioculcadoideae. Common genera include Arum, Arisaema, Colocasia, and Philodendron. Many members of Araceae, such as Spathiphyllum, Monstera, and Philodendron, are cultivated as houseplants. Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a significant food source, and others have been used historically for food and medicine.
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Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What types of plants are found in the Araceae family?
The Araceae family, also known as aroids, is a large group of flowering plants with over 4,000 species in more than 140 genera. These plants are commonly found in tropical regions worldwide and include climbers, herbaceous plants, and aquatic species.

The Araceae family consists of eight subfamilies: Aroideae, Gymnostachydoideae, Lasioideae, Lemnoideae, Monstereae, Pothoideae, Orontioideae, and Zamioculcadoideae. Common genera include Arum, Arisaema (such as jack-in-the-pulpit), Calla, Colocasia (like taro), and Philodendron. Other notable examples are the titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) and water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes). Duckweeds (Lemna) are specialized aquatic members of the Araceae family. Many aroids are common houseplants and cut flowers used in the floral industry.
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1. Araceae
2. Alismatales: Araceae
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Where do most Araceae plants grow?
The Araceae family, containing over 4,000 species in more than 140 genera, is most common in the tropics. Araceae, also known as aroids, are a large family of flowering plants in the order Alismatales. The family includes many climbers and herbaceous plants, as well as rooted or free-floating aquatics. Most have leaves featuring a distinct petiole and an expanded blade.
2 Britannica Sources
1. Araceae
2. Alismatales: Araceae
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
What are common features of Araceae plants?
The Araceae, also known as aroids, are a large family of flowering plants with over 4,000 species found worldwide but are most common in the tropics. They include climbers, herbaceous plants, and aquatics.

Aroids are characterized by their unusual inflorescence: tiny bisexual or unisexual flowers densely packed on a fleshy spike called a spadix, typically accompanied by a leafy or fleshy spathe. Their leaves usually have a distinct petiole and an expanded blade, often containing calcium oxalate crystals. Some species are thermogenic, generating heat to attract pollinators with a scent of rotting flesh.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Why are some Araceae plants grown as houseplants?
The Araceae family, also known as aroids, is a large family of flowering plants that contains more than 4,000 species. Many members of this family are grown as houseplants because they can adapt to the adverse conditions of dry heat and low light intensity that prevail in many houses.

Aroids include a number of common houseplants, such as philodendrons, dumb canes and Chinese evergreens. Many types of houseplants absorb airborne pollutants as part of their normal "breathing" process.
4 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
How do Araceae plants reproduce and spread in nature?
Araceae plants exhibit diverse reproduction and dispersal strategies. They can reproduce sexually with bisexual or unisexual flowers tightly packed on a spadix, often with a spathe. Some species are thermogenic, producing heat to attract pollinators with a scent of rotting flesh. Asexual reproduction occurs through fragmentation, where plant parts regenerate into new organisms. Additionally, some Araceae members employ geocarpy, producing fruits underground or actively burying them, aiding in localized dispersal.
7 Britannica Sources
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Araceae, large family of flowering plants (order Alismatales) comprising more than 4,000 species in over 140 genera. Members of Araceae occur worldwide but are most common in the tropics. The family includes many climbers and herbaceous plants as well as rooted or free-floating aquatics. Colloquially known as aroids, members of the family include a number of common houseplants and cut flowers used in the floral industry. See also list of plants in the family Araceae.

Physical description

Araceae species are monocotyledons, meaning that each of their seeds has a single cotyledon (embryonic seed leaf). Most members of the family have leaves with a distinct petiole and an expanded blade that is uncharacteristically reticulate among the monocots. The leaves typically contain calcium oxalate, which may form stinging needle-shaped crystals known as raphides.

Members of the family are characterized by an unusual inflorescence. The minute flowers are bisexual or unisexual and are densely packed onto a generally thickened spike known as the spadix. This in turn is usually accompanied or surrounded by a leafy or fleshy bract known as the spathe. In the cultivated Anthurium, the spadix consists of bisexual flowers, whereas in the voodoo lily (Amorphophallus konjac), the spadix consists of three parts: a basal section with female flowers, a central portion with male flowers, and a long sterile tip that produces the characteristic odor of rotting flesh upon maturing.

Remarkably, a number of species are thermogenic, meaning they can generate heat. Species such as cuckoopint (Arum maculatum) and titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) can warm their inflorescences while flowering and can maintain temperatures higher than and independent of the ambient temperature. This is accomplished by a specialized pathway of the mitochondria within the cells. It is thought that this ability may protect against tissue damage in cold regions and helps attract pollinators. Many of these plants also emit a fetid odor, which, together with the heat, mimics rotting animal flesh to attract carrion beetles, flesh flies, and other insects for pollination.

Major genera and species

There are eight recognized subfamilies of Araceae: Aroideae, Gymnostachydoideae, Lasioideae, Lemnoideae, Monstereae, Pothoideae, Orontioideae, and Zamioculcadoideae. The largest of these is Aroideae, with more than 2,500 species across 75 genera. Common genera include Arum, Arisaema (including jack-in-the-pulpit [A. triphyllum]), Calla, Colocasia (such as taro [C. esculenta]), and Philodendron. The enormous titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum) has a massive foul-smelling inflorescence that is one of the largest on Earth. Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) is an aquatic species.

Another large subfamily is Pothoideae, with more than 900 species mostly distributed in Anthurium and Pothos. The taxonomy of Monsteroideae is contentious, with anywhere from 380 to more than 700 species listed. These include the familiar peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) and Monstera houseplants as well as the genera Rhaphidophora, Rhodospatha, Scindapsus, and Stenospermation.

The extremely reduced duckweeds (Lemna and its relatives) are specialized aquatic members of the Araceae family found in the small subfamily Lemnoideae. Lasioideae has 10 genera and nearly 60 pantropical species. The nearly 30 species of Zamioculcadoideae are restricted to central Africa. Orontioideae, found in temperate East Asia and temperate North America, contains three genera and six species, including the skunk cabbages Symplocarpus foetidus and Lysichiton americanus. Gymnostachydoideae contains a single species, Gymnostachys anceps.

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