The Marantaceae are a family of monocotflowering plants. The family, part of order Zingiberales, includes 550 species in 31 genera. The Marantaceae are native to the tropics of The Americas, Africa, and Asia. The family includes Arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea), a plant native to the Caribbean and grown for its easily digestible starch. Several species of Calathea are grown as houseplants for their handsome ornamental leaves, patterned in various shades of green, white and pink.
Marantaceae are found in the lowland tropical forests of Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Marantaceae are readily distinguished from all other plantfamilies by 2 distinctive vegetative characters: 1) the sigmoid (S-shaped) lateral veins and the numerous parallel cross veins of the leaf blade and 2) the presence of a region of specialized cells just below the blade, termed the pulvinus, which controls the movement of the leaves.
Marantaceae floral structure initially evolved in response to bee pollination and the vast majority are still bee pollinated.
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