View source for Araceae

{{Taxobox
| name = Arum family
|fossil_range = [[Upper Cretaceous]] (70 mya)<ref>{{cite journal|author=Bogner, Josef|author2=Johnson, Kirk R.|author3=Kvacek, Zlatko|author4=Upchurch, Garland R. Jr | year=2007| title=New fossil leaves of Araceae from the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene of western North America| journal=Zitteliana| volume=47 | pages = 133–147}}</ref> – Recent
| image = Arum_flower.jpg
| image_width = 200px
| image_caption = Flower of ''[[Xanthosoma sagittifolium]]''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant]]s
| classis = [[Monocot]]s
| ordo = [[Alismatales]]
| familia = '''Araceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Juss.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision = 
See text.
}}
[[File:Spathiphyllum cochlearispathum RTBG.jpg|thumb|[[Peace Lily]] (''Spathiphyllum cochlearispathum'') clearly showing the characteristic spadix and spathe.]]

'''Araceae''' are a family of [[monocot]]yledonous [[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 [[bract]]. 

Also known as the Arum family, members are often colloquially known as aroid. 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.

These plants often have [[rhizome]]s or [[tuber]]s with [[calcium]] oxalate [[crystal]]s or 'raphides' and commonly with milky sap. The [[leaves]] are alternate, simple or compound, petiolate, sometimes very large, and usually with a sheathing base.

Some genera of araceae include:
* ''[[Anthurium]]''
* ''[[Dieffenbachia]]''
* ''[[Dracunculus]]''
* ''[[Monstera]]''
* ''[[Philodendron]]''
* ''[[Colocasia]]''
* ''[[Arum (genus)|Arum]]''

== References ==
{{Reflist}}


{{biology-stub}}

[[Category:Araceae| ]]