The book is the first complete taxonomic treatment in English of the Araceae, a large plant family of 105 genera and over 3,300 species. The aroids are very diverse in the humid tropics and include many of the world's most popular ornamental plants. Every genus is described and illustrated with one or more plates of original line drawings by the renowned botanical artist Eleanor Catherine as well as range maps and 94 col photos. There are general chapters on many topics, including economic botany, phylogenetic relationships, fossils, cultivation and detailed reviews of anatomy (by J.C. French) and chemistry (by R. Hegnauer).