ARECIDAE

subclass of herbaceous monocotyledonous shrubs, vines, and trees. The four orders within the subclassArecales, Cyclanthales, Pandanales, and Aralestogether contain five families and about 5,600 species. Most members are found in the order Arecales, which contains the lone family Arecaceae (palms). The flowers in the subclass are small and are arranged in tight inflorescences, often in the form of a spadix subtended by a spathe. The perianth, which is often small, is arranged in two series of two or three tepals. The stamens are an obvious feature of the group. The leaves are organized either at the base of the plant or in a terminal crown. subclass of flowering plants belonging to the class Liliopsida.