Author:
Qjure
Book:
Qjurious
Type:
Info
Chapter:
3-632.11.00
Araceae
English: Arum family.
Botany: 107 genera; 3700 species; temperate, tropical; cosmopolitan; rhizomes; leaves sheathing, net veined, simple to lobed or compound, with petiole; flowers in a spadix with spathe, small, unisexual or bisexual; raphides; fruit a berry.
Content: calcium oxalate raphides; cyanogenic glycosides; hydroxytryptophane; sulphur compounds.
Use: food, starch; ornamental.
Taxonomy
In past classifications Araceae has been included in Arecales and Cyclanthacae, both families having spadix inflorencences. Lemnaceae, with the aquatics Lemna and Pistia are included in Araceae.
In the Apg3 classification Araceae is included in Alismatales, as the first diverging lineage.
In the Plant theory Araceae iis split off from Alismatales. Araceae is the only Family in the Order Arales, in the Subclass Aridae.