ABSTRACT:

The Neotropical genus Xanthosoma is an important source of food crops among aroid genera, but its taxonomy can be considered poorly resolved. In order to make a first approach to the morphological diversity in the genus, 14 species representing most of the range of morphologic variation were analyzed, considering gynoecium morphology and anatomy. Four different gynoecium types are here recognized and described. Presence and distribution of calcium oxalate crystals (druses and raphides), style morphology and arrangement of the anastomosing laticifers have proven to be the most important observed characters and are here suggested as useful taxonomic markers for the genus.