Cannaceae
Canna Family
The Cannaceae family (Canna Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Zingiberales. It is represented by a single species in the SASYA catalogue. That species is a herb. Several members are valued in traditional medicine.
Browse all 1 species ↓
Large, broad, paddle-shaped leaves with a prominent midrib on rhizomatous herbs; showy, asymmetric flowers get their colour not from true petals but from several enlarged, petal-like staminodes (sterile modified stamens).
Almost the entire showy part of the flower is made of infertile, petal-mimicking stamens rather than true petals, which stay small and easy to overlook by comparison.
To check whether a plant belongs to Cannaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.
Learn the full family-identification methodTypical leaf characters
- ArrangementAlternate
- TypeVariable
- MarginVariable
- VenationVariable
Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.
Typical flower & fruit
- Flower symmetryVariable
- InflorescencePanicle
- FruitVariable
Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.
Notable members
Families that can look similar
Zingiberaceae
Compare against Zingiberaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare ZingiberaceaeCostaceae
Compare against Costaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare CostaceaeMarantaceae
Compare against Marantaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare MarantaceaeMusaceae
Compare against Musaceae when the plant shares similar leaves, flowers, or fruit. Confirm by checking the full family pattern.
Compare MusaceaeAll 1 species in CANNACEAE
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