Monstera is a genus of 59 species of flowering plants in the arum family, Araceae, native to tropical regions of central and south America.

Etymology

The genus is named from the Latin word for "monstrous" or "abnormal", and refers to the unusual leaves with natural holes, or fenestrations(slits) and perferations(holes), that most members of the genus have.

Description

Growth pattern

They are evergreen vines, growing to heights of 20 m in trees, climbing by means of aerial roots which act as hooks over branches; these roots will also grow into the soil to help support the plant. Since plants in the genus root both into the soil and over trees, it is considered a hemiepiphyte with roots in soil but climbing on trees.

Leaves

The leaves are alternate, leathery, dark green, very large, from 25 - 90 cm long (up to 300 cm long in M. gigas) and 15 - 75 cm broad, often with holes in the leaf blade. The fenestrated leaves allow for the leaves to spread over greater area to increase sunlight exposure, and to allow light to reach other leaves below, by using less energy to produce and maintain the leaves.

Inflorescence

The flowers are borne on a specialized inflorescence called a spadix, 5 - 95 cm long; the fruit is a cluster of berries, with significant variation in color, edible in some species.

Uses

They are commonly grown indoors as houseplants. The best-known representative of the genus, Monstera deliciosa, is also cultivated for its edible fruit which tastes like a combination of peach and pineapple.

Species

Plants of the World Online recognizes 70 accepted taxa (of 64 species and 6 infraspecific names): Previously included: Commonly misidentified as Monstera: