The beauty, popularity, toxicity and economic importance of Araceae species

Abstract

The family has 10 subfamilies, 117 genera and approximately 4000 species in several tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Also known as aroid, contains the most diverse and attractive species of the plant kingdom. Although several species are cultivated as ornamental plants all the year are recorded numerous cases of poisoning by plants all Brazil, where the species of the Araceae family are among those responsible. The genera Dieffenbachia, Colocasia, Philodendron, Anthurium and Caladium, illustrate how they are popular in our daily life, and limited information about the chemical composition and toxicity of some of these plants is one more reason to act with caution to grow them as ornamentals.