Calathea is a genus of around 60 flowering plant species in the family Marantaceae, order Zingiberales, native to the tropical Americas. The genus is closely related to Goeppertia — a larger genus in the same family that absorbed roughly 200 species formerly placed in Calathea following a major taxonomic revision. Together the two genera make up the bulk of what horticulturalists and the general public know as "calatheas" or "prayer plants," a common name shared with their marantaceous relatives.
Plants in Calathea are herbaceous perennials typically growing from rhizomes, reaching up to about 90 cm in height with characteristically broad, often strikingly patterned leaves. One ecologically notable feature is that the young leaves and leafy bracts can cup into small pools of standing water known as phytotelmata, which serve as microhabitats for invertebrates including mosquito larvae, midges, and other aquatic insects.
The genus is well known in cultivation for its ornamental foliage. Flower structure distinguishes Calathea from the closely allied Goeppertia: Calathea produces blooms in a ladder-like arrangement, while Goeppertia flowers are rosette-shaped. Despite the botanical split, plants from both genera continue to be sold under the name "calathea" in horticulture, and popular houseplant species such as those commonly labeled as zebra plants or rattlesnake plants now belong largely to Goeppertia.
Distribution
Calathea is native to the tropical Americas, with its center of diversity in humid lowland and montane rainforests from Central America through South America, particularly in Colombia (GBIF distributions indicate Chocó as one locality). Species grow in shaded understory conditions in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests.
Ecology
The young leaves and bracts of Calathea plants can form small pools of water known as phytotelmata. These water bodies support communities of invertebrates — including larvae of mosquitoes, midges, and other aquatic insects — making the plants a microhabitat source within the forest understory.
Cultivation
In cultivation, calatheas prefer indirect light, high humidity, and consistently moist but well-draining soil. Plants are slow-growing and can reach up to about 90 cm in height under suitable conditions; once they reach full height, upward growth ceases. They are primarily grown as foliage houseplants for their boldly patterned leaves. Note: many plants sold commercially as "calatheas" belong to the reclassified genus Goeppertia.
Taxonomy Notes
Calathea has undergone significant revision in recent decades. Approximately 200 species once placed in Calathea — including many familiar houseplants — were transferred to the reinstated genus Goeppertia following phylogenetic studies. The remaining accepted Calathea species (around 60) are distinguished from Goeppertia by their ladder-structured rather than rosette-shaped flowers. Both genera remain in family Marantaceae, order Zingiberales, and are native to the New World Tropics. Many trade names and popular references still use "calathea" loosely for both genera.
