ACORACEAE

By: Himanchal Thapa Magar and Mohan Siwakoti

Taxon Description 

Perennial semi-aquatic herbs, with aromatic oil especially in rhizomes. Rhizomes horizontal, creeping at, or near surface, with distinct nodes, branched, covered with brown scaly hairs. Stems prostrate, cataphylls absent. Leaves not differentiated into petiole and blade, equitant, sword-shaped, venation parallel. Inflorescence terminal, a spadix arising from a 3-angled axis (peduncle fused with proximal portion of sympodial leaf encircling inflorescence), distal sympodial leaf extending beyond spadix; true spathe absent; spadix nearly cylindrical, tapering, apex obtuse. Flowers bisexual; tepals 6, in 2 rows of 3, free. Stamens 6, distinct. Ovary 2- or 3-locular, sessile; stigmas sessile, minute. Fruit a berry; pericarp thin, leathery; seeds few.

Monotypic family in Northern temperate regions, subtropical Asia, and sporadically introduced in the Southern hemisphere

Taxon Statistics

Two species in Northern temperate regions and subtropical Asia .