Young plants or mature plants in poor condition or growing in a less than ideal habitat will produce male inflorescences. The ability to alter the sex of the inflorescence in this way is termed paradioecy. Unisexual flowers are almost without exception naked. i.e., lacking a perigon.

The most recent technical account for the genera is The Genera of Araceae (Mayo, Bogner & Boyce, 1997) while a species checklist for the family, World checklist and bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae) by Govaerts, Frodin etal., appeared in 2002. Aside from floristic accounts and taxonomic treatments the best non-technical account is that of Bown (2000). The classic work on the genus Arum, Lords and Ladies (Prime, 1960), is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand the pollination strategy employed by many monoecious aroid taxa.

All Araceae studied to date display insect pollination. Many, notably Amorphophallus have evolved to be pollinated by insects attracted to dung or carrion (saproentomophily). Many tropical species have inflorescences where pollination has evolved in conjunction with bees, wasps and beetles. In species of Philodendron investigated to date large dynastid scarab beetles are attracted to the inflorescences and appear to be the main pollinators (Gottsberger & Amaral, 1984). Many aroids attract pollinators by odour. Inflorescence odours include dung, carrion, rotting fruit, old socks, semen, bad breath, beer, spearmint, cheap sweets and cinnamon.