Marantaceae
| Marantaceae | |
|---|---|
| Maranta leuconeura | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae | 
| Clade: | Tracheophytes | 
| Clade: | Angiosperms | 
| Clade: | Monocots | 
| Clade: | Commelinids | 
| Order: | Zingiberales | 
| Family: | Marantaceae R.Br. | 
| Type genus | |
| Maranta | |
| Genera | |
| See text | |
The Marantaceae are a family, the arrowroot family, or the prayer plant family, of flowering plants consisting of 31 genera and around 530 species, defining it as one of the most species-rich families in its order. 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. They are commonly called the prayer-plant family and are also known for their unique secondary pollination presentation.