Aridaceae

Aridaceae is a proposed family of flowering plants that would comprise xerophytic genera adapted to dry climates. Its circumscription has varied among taxonomic treatments, and in many schemes Aridaceae is treated as a distinct family, a subfamily within Araceae, or as a synonym of Araceae. Because of this unsettled status, reliable lists of genera and species are not universally agreed.

Included taxa, where recognized, tend to be herbaceous perennials or shrubs with extreme water-conservation traits. Common adaptations include succulent or reduced leaves, thick cuticles, sunken stomata, and dimorphic stems or leaves that store water. Some lineages employ Crassulacean acid metabolism or other drought-tolerance strategies. Flowers are typically small and inconspicuous, arranged in simple or compound inflorescences; fruit types range from berries to dry capsules, depending on the lineage.

Aridaceae members are reported from deserts, semi-arid steppes, and rocky habitats across multiple continents, including Africa, Eurasia, the Americas, and Oceania. Their ecology is dominated by water-stress avoidance and, in some annual forms, rapid life cycles.

The family status remains debated. Some classifications recognize Aridaceae as a separate family, others treat it as a segregate of Araceae or a formal subfamily within Araceae. In many references the group is treated as unsettled or as a synonym, reflecting ongoing revisions in monocot systematics.

See also Araceae, xerophytes, plant taxonomy.