Araceae

=Family description=
 * Terrestrial herbs or epiphytes** with creeping or tuberous rhizomes, or **vines** with aerial roots, rarely free-floating **aquatics** (//Pistia//).
 * Leaves** of variable shape, the lamina mostly simple, or palmately or pedately divided, alternate, with long petiole and sheating at the base; margin entire; stipules absent.
 * Inflorescences** a terminal, cylindrical spadix subtended (and sometimes partly or wholly enclosed) by a frequently large, coloured and persistent spathe.
 * Flowers** bisexual or unisexual, then plants monoecious with pistillate flowers in the basal part and staminate flowers higher up on the spadix (sometimes separated by a naked zone, or the apical part of the spadix flowerless and more or less swollen), rarely plants dioecious. Tepals (0--)4--6(--8), free, minute. Stamens 1--8. Ovary superior, 1-locular to plurilocular, style 1, stigma simple, mostly capitate, sometimes papillose; ovules 1 to many.
 * Fruit** mostly a berry.

=General info=
 * Distribution** Pan-tropical, with ca. 110 genera and 2950 species.
 * Ecology** Often in forest understorey, but many climbers can reach the forest canopy. Some species are aquatic and float on the water surface.
 * Uses** Ornamentals. Also used as food (taro, yams, some vegetables).

=Genera treated=
 * Alocasia
 * Pothos
 * Syngonium

Monocots.pdf

Alocasia sp

Pothos sp

Syngonium sp