| Marantaceae | |
|---|---|
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| Maranta leuconeura | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Zingiberales |
| Family: | Marantaceae R.Br.[1] |
| Type genus | |
| Maranta | |
| Genera | |
See text | |
TheMarantaceae are afamily, thearrowroot family, or theprayer plant family, offlowering plants consisting of 28 genera[2] and around 530 species, defining it as one of the most species-rich families in its order.[3][4] 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.[3] They are commonly called the prayer-plant family and are also known for their unique secondary pollination presentation.
The plants usually have underground rhizomes or tubers. Theleaves are arranged in two rows with thepetioles having a sheathing base. Theleaf blade is narrow or broad withpinnate veins running parallel to the midrib. Thepetiole may be winged, and swollen into apulvinus at the base.[citation needed]
Theinflorescence is a spike orpanicle, enclosed byspathe-likebracts. The flowers are small and often inconspicuous, irregular, andbisexual, usually with an outer three freesepals and an inner series of three petaloid-like segments, tube-like in appearance. The fruit is either fleshy or a loculicidalcapsule.[5] Many species have only a singlestamen and that stamen has only a singlelocule, an oddity they share only with the genusCanna.[6]
TheAPG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from theAPG system, 1998), also recognizes this family, and assigns it to the orderZingiberales in the cladecommelinids in themonocots. The Marantaceae are considered the mostderived family in this group due to the extreme reduction in both stamens and carpels.[citation needed]
The family consists of 28 genera[2] with about 570 known species,[7] found in the tropical areas of the world except inAustralia. The biggest concentration is in the Americas, with seven genera in Africa, and six in Asia.
| Cladogram:Phylogeny of Zingiberales[8] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Phylogenetic tree of the family.[9]
| Marantaceae |
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28 genera are accepted.[2]
Arilated seeds of Marantaceae aredispersed mainly by birds and mammals. InAmazonia, crickets and ants are important secondary dispersers.[11]
Rosmarinic acid can be found in plants in the family Marantaceae such as species in the generaMaranta (Maranta leuconeura,Maranta depressa) andThalia (Thalia geniculata).[12]
Marantaceae have a distinctive pollination mechanism that is defined by an explosive style movement. It is commonly termed explosive because the action is swift, occurs only one time for each flower, and is irreversible.[13] This quick pollination event plays a significant role in optimizing mating and has been hypothesized to be a factor in the high level of speciation within this family.[4] There are two parts of the floral anatomy that contribute to the explosive pollination mechanism: the style and the hooded staminode.[4]
The secondary pollination presentation begins after a mechanical stimulus is introduced by a pollinator on the trigger appendage of the hooded staminode.[14][13] Touching this trigger causes the release of the style from the contacted staminode, leading to rapid inward rolling of the style which is no longer being held under high tension.[14][15] During this quick rolling movement, self pollen (located on top of the style) is deposited on the pollinator while cross-pollen is scooped off the pollinator into the stigmatic cavity.[15][13] This single action occurs very quickly with the full movement being clocked in at around 0.03 seconds.[15]
The most well-known species in the family is arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea), a plant of theCaribbean, grown in parts of the Caribbean,Australasia, andsub-Saharan Africa for its easily digestible starch known asarrowroot. It is grown commercially in theWest Indies and tropicalAmericas.[citation needed]
Several species of genusGoeppertia are grown ashouseplants for their large ornamental leaves, which arevariegated in shades of green, white, and pink. Other genera grown for houseplants includeStromanthe,Ctenanthe,Calathea, andMaranta.[citation needed]
Calathea lutea has tough, durable leaves used to make waterproof baskets, and in theCaribbean andCentral America, its leaves are used for roofing. TwoMexican species -C. macrosepala andC. violacea - have flowers that are cooked and used as vegetables.C. allouia or leren, from the West Indies and tropical America, is known as sweet corn root for its edible tuber.[citation needed]
Schumannianthus dichotomus is used for weaving mats to use on floors and beds.[citation needed]
Media related toMarantaceae at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toMarantaceae at Wikispecies Families ofZingiberales | |
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| Banana-families |
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| Zingiberineae (Ginger-families) |
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| National | |
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| Other | |
