Monstera

Monstera is a genus of 59 species of flowering plants in the arum family, Araceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas.
Etymology
The genus is named from the Latin word for "monstrous" or "abnormal", and refers to the unusual leaves with natural holes that members of the genus have.
Description
Growth pattern
They are herbs or evergreen vines, growing to heights of 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 the plant roots both into the soil and over trees, it is considered a hemiepiphyte.
Leaves
The leaves are alternate, leathery, dark green, very large, from long (up to long in M. dubia) and 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 specialised inflorescence called a spadix, long; the fruit is a cluster of white berries, 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 recognises 59 accepted taxa (of 49 species and 6 infraspecific names):
Monstera acacoyaguensis
Monstera acuminata – Shingle plant
Monstera adansonii
Monstera adansonii subsp. adansonii
Monstera adansonii subsp. blanchetii
Monstera adansonii subsp. klotzschiana
Monstera adansonii subsp. laniata
Monstera alcirana
Monstera amargalensis
Monstera anomala
Monstera aureopinnata
Monstera barrieri
Monstera boliviana
Monstera buseyi
Monstera cenepensis
Monstera costaricensis
Monstera croatii
Monstera deliciosa – Ceriman, Swiss-cheese plant
Monstera dissecta
Monstera dubia
Monstera egregia
Monstera epipremnoides
Monstera filamentosa
Monstera florescanoana
Monstera gambensis
Monstera gentryi
Monstera glaucescens
Monstera gracilis
Monstera guzmanjacobiae
Monstera integrifolia
Monstera juliusii
Monstera kikiae
Monstera kessleri
Monstera lechleriana
Monstera lentii
Monstera limitaris
Monstera luteynii
Monstera maderaverde
Monstera membranacea
Monstera minima
Monstera mittermeieri
Monstera molinae
Monstera momoi
Monstera monteverdensis
Monstera obliqua
Monstera oreophila
Monstera pinnatipartita
Monstera pittieri
Monstera planadensis
Monstera praetermissa
Monstera punctulata
Monstera siltepecana
Monstera spruceana
Monstera standleyana
Monstera subpinnata
Monstera tacanaensis
Monstera tarrazuensis
Monstera tenuis
Monstera tuberculata
Monstera tuberculata var. brevinoda
Monstera tuberculata var. tuberculata
Monstera vasquezii
Monstera wilsoniensis
Monstera xanthospatha
Previously included:
Monstera alticola
Monstera bocatorana
Monstera coloradensis
Monstera fortunense
Monstera gigantea (Roxb.) Schott - Epipremnum giganteum (Roxb.) Schott
Monstera jefense
Monstera pirrense
Commonly misidentified as Monstera:
Rhaphidophora tetrasperma
Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum
References
External links
Aroid Society
Araceae genera
Taxa named by Michel Adanson