Marantaceae
Marantaceae
Marantaceae is a large family from the order Zingiberales and counts about 30 genera and 630 species (Mabberley 2008; although according to many authors it counts much less species). It is closely related to Cannaceae. Nearly all species are restricted to the tropics, mostly in America. Logically, only few representatives are capable to survive out of doors in western Europe. Walters & al. (1984) provide an overview of the family in cultivation in Europe.
A species from a single genus, Thalia L., has been recorded in the wild in Belgium lately.
Literature:
Andersson L. & Chase M.W. (2001) Phylogeny and classification of Marantaceae. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 135(3): 275-287.
Kennedy H. (2000) Marantaceae. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.), Flora of North America, vol. 22: 315-319. Oxford University Press, New York-Oxford. [available online at: http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=10535]
Mabberley D.J. (2008) Mabberley’s plant-book (3th ed.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge: XVIII + 1021 p.
Prince L.M. & Kress W.J. (2006) Phylogenetic relationships and classification in Marantaceae: insights from plastid DNA sequence data. Taxon 55(2): 281-296. [available online at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233605459_Phylogenetic_Relation...
Schumann K. (1902) Marantaceae. In: Engler A. (ed.), Das Pflanzenreich 11: 1-184. [available online at: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/71436#/summary]
Walters S.M., Brady A., Brickell C.D., Cullen J., Green P.S., Lewis J., Matthews V.A., Webb D.A., Yeo P.F. & Alexander J.C.M. (eds.) (1984) The European Garden Flora, vol. 2 (part II). Cambridge University Press: 318 p.