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Monstera is a genus of 59 species of flowering plants in the arum family, Araceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas.
Tracheophytes, Angiosperms, Monocots, Alismatales
Tropical regions of the Americas
The genus is named from the Latin word for "monstrous" or "abnormal", and refers to the unusual leaves with natural holes, or fenestrations, that members of the genus have.
They are herbs or evergreenvines, growing to heights of 20 metres (66 ft) 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.
The leaves are alternate, leathery, dark green, very large, from 25–90 centimetres (9.8–35.4 in) long (up to 300 centimetres (120 in) long in M. gigas) and 15–75 centimetres (5.9–29.5 in) 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.
The flowers are borne on a specialized inflorescence called a spadix, 5–95 centimetres (2.0–37.4 in) long; the fruit is a cluster of berries, with significant variation in color, edible in some species.
