Marantaceae
Sign in to saveThe Marantaceae are a family, the arrowroot family, or the prayer plant family, of flowering plants consisting of 28 genera and around 530 species, defining it as one of the most species-rich families in its order. Species of this family are found in lowland tropical forests of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The majority (80%) of the species are found in the American tropics, followed by Asian (11%) and African (9%) tropics. They are commonly called the prayer-plant family and are also known for their unique secondary pollination presentation.
Taxonomy · GBIF
FAMILY
- KingdomPlantae
- PhylumTracheophyta
- ClassLiliopsida
- OrderZingiberales
- FamilyMarantaceae
via GBIF · CC0
Article
11 sectionsContents
- Description
- Taxonomy
- Genera
- Seed dispersal
- Phytochemistry
- Rapid plant movement: secondary pollination presentation
- Uses
- See also
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
The Marantaceae are a family, the arrowroot family, or the prayer plant family, of flowering plants consisting of 28 genera and around 530 species, defining it as one of the most species-rich families in its order. Species of this family are found in lowland tropical forests of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The majority (80%) of the species are found in the American tropics, followed by Asian (11%) and African (9%) tropics. They are commonly called the prayer-plant family and are also known for their unique secondary pollination presentation.
==Description== The plants usually have underground rhizomes or tubers. The leaves are arranged in two rows with the petioles having a sheathing base. The leaf blade is narrow or broad with pinnate veins running parallel to the midrib. The petiole may be winged, and swollen into a pulvinus at the base.