DOT Desk: Have you ever come across a plant with an inflorescence that looks like a giant green or white tongue sticking out of a pot? Or a plant with spiky, alien-like flowers that emit an unpleasant odour? If you have, chances are you have encountered an aroid, reports TBS.
Aroids are a family of flowering plants that includes over 4,000 species, with many of them grown as houseplants. They are known for their large, showy leaves, unique inflorescences, and in some cases, their pungent scent. Let’s take a closer look at what makes aroids so fascinating. Aroids are members of the Araceae family, which is distributed across the tropics and subtropics. They can be found in a range of habitats, from rainforests to deserts. Aroids are known for their large, often ornamental leaves, which come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some aroid leaves are heart-shaped, like those of the popular houseplant philodendron. Others are arrow-shaped, like those of the elephant ear plant. In Bangla, certain groups of aroids are called “kachu”.
But what sets aroids apart from other plants are their inflorescences, or flower clusters. Aroids produce inflorescences that are unlike any other in the plant world. Some aroids, like the peace lily, produce a spadix, which is a fleshy spike covered in tiny flowers.