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Botanical Family · Alismatales

Araceae

Arum family

36 speciesOrder Alismatales8+ well-known plants

The arum family of monocots, including many popular houseplants (Monstera, Philodendron, Dieffenbachia) and important foods (taro, Colocasia). Inflorescence is a fleshy spike (spadix) enclosed in a large bract (spathe). Many produce calcium oxalate crystals causing irritation.

Browse all 36 species ↓
Representative ARACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Araceae
Key pattern

Tiny flowers packed onto a fleshy central spike, usually wrapped in a single large, often colourful bract.

Many species carry needle-like calcium oxalate crystals in their tissue, which irritate the mouth and throat if chewed raw.

Identify the species

Which Araceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Araceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Aquatic/floating
Aquatic/marginal herb
Climbing vine
Climbing/trailing vine
Herb
Shrub
Tree
Tuberous seasonal herb
Upright herb
Leaf ShapeWhat is the overall shape of the leaf blade?
Cordate
Deeply split/perforated (holes)
Sagittate
Leaf ShapeWhat is the overall shape of the leaf blade?
Compound/divided
Compound/divided, very large
Cordate (heart-shaped)
Linear (long and narrow, parallel sides)
Ovate
Sagittate
Leaf PatternIs there a distinctive color pattern on the leaves?
Plain green
Variegated (patches of white/yellow/pink)
Leaf PatternIs there a distinctive color pattern on the leaves?
Mottled/spotted
Plain green
Variegated (patches of white/yellow/pink)
Spathe MarkWhat color is the flower spathe (the leaf-like hood around the flower spike)?
Green
Purple/maroon
Striped like a cobra hood
Leaf ShapeWhat is the overall shape of the leaf blade?
Compound/divided
Cordate
Cordate (heart-shaped)
Peltate (shield-shaped, stalk attaches at center)
Sagittate (arrowhead-shaped)
Leaf PatternIs there a distinctive color pattern on the leaves?
Plain green
Variegated (patches of white/yellow/pink)

How to recognise the Araceae family

  • 01

    Spadix inflorescence with spathe bract

  • 02

    Calcium oxalate raphides; often toxic raw

  • 03

    Monocot; often large net-veined leaves

Typical leaf characters

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

  • Flower symmetryVariable
  • InflorescenceSpike
  • FruitVariable

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Sweet Flag, Sweet RootAcorus calamusChinese EvergreenAglaonema commutatumGiant TaroAlocasia macrorrhizosDevil's TongueAmorphophallus bulbiferDragon Stalk YamAmorphophallus commutatusElephant Foot YamAmorphophallus paeoniifoliusWight's Twisted ArumAnaphyllum wightiiPainter's-PaletteAnthurium andraeanum

All 36 species in ARACEAE

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