Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family

Bown dedicates one chapter to the discussion of aroids as a food plant. Taro is actually the root of Colocasia esculenta, another member of this plant family. After you learn which aroids you can use as food, be sure to read the following chapter which discusses the poisonous nature of many aroids. It'll make you want to be very sure of your plant species before trying it out as food. Some aroids are being used in medicine today.

The final chapter discusses the cultivation of aroid genera. The main species are presented with information about hardiness, cultivation requirements, and propagation hints. The most common species within each genera discussed are also listed. I had one minor criticism of this chapter until I checked through the index. The cultivation chapter uses only scientific names which concerned me until I tried looking up "jack-in-the-pulpit" in the index and was referred to the proper scientific name for this plant. Following this chapter is a Checklist of Aroid Genera grouped by plant family, subfamilies and tribes. Then a table listing all the genera, number of species, distribution, habit requirements and ecology considerations.

I enjoyed reading this book but found it a bit difficult to use. A person having no background in horticulture or botany would be totally discouraged. A listing of the common names of plants in the aroid family followed by the scientific name should be found near the beginning of the book. As it is, a reader knowing nothing but a common name would have to think about trying index before they would be successful in locating information on the plant. I can only conclude that this book is written for the plant collector who has taken the time to learn something about botany or horticulture before reading it. It is not intended for the average gardener. If you are seeking information on common houseplants, a general houseplant book would suit your needs better. If you've moved from being an amateur grower to being a plant collector, this book will take you to a new level of understanding about genera within the aroid family.

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