ABSTRACT:
Most aroids are widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics with a few species in temperate regions. The majority occur in the countries of South East Asia, South and Central America, Africa and the West Indies. The family has a total of 110 genera and ca. 2500 species (Croat, 1979), 92% of which are in South East Asia and Central and South America. In Malaysia alone there are 23 native genera and about 120 species (Henderson, 1954).