Present status ofArisaema systematics

For an understanding of the systematics ofArisaema (Araceae), the history of infrageneric classification systems and recent studies of taxonomic characters ofArisaema are reviewed. Based on morphological information, a cladistic analysis is attempted. The most parsimonious cladgrams, with 32 steps and a consitency index of 0.69, involve assumed parallelisms and reversals in several characters. Ongoing molecular systematic studies are testing the proposed systematics.