ARACEAE

Plants with  saps  of different kinds. Tissues generally with Calcium Oxalate crystals. Mostly herbs, occasionally climbers. Roots rhizomatous or tuberous. Inflorescence  with non bracteate flowers crowded together in a  simple, cylindrical spadix. Spadix  is subtended by a large herbaceous spathe. Plants monoecious or dioecious. Flowers small, unisexual or bisexual, often with petrified odour. Anthers dehiscising by pores. Fruit a berry. Family Lemnaceae which is often described as "reduced Araceae" is distinguished by free floating thalloid habit and absence of proper spadix like inflorescence. perianth and straight embryo.