BIODIVERSITAS ISSN: 1412-033X Volume 19, Number 1, January 2018 E-ISSN: 2085-4722 Pages: 140-152 DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d190121 The diversity of aroids (Araceae) in Bogor Botanic Gardens, Indonesia: Collection, conservation and utilization YUZAMMI Center for Plant Conservation Botanic Gardens (Bogor Botanic Gardens), Indonesian Institute of Sciences. Jl. Ir. H. Juanda No. 13, Bogor 16122, West Java, Indonesia. Tel.: +62-251-8352518, Fax. +62-251-8322187, ♥email:
[email protected] Manuscript received: 4 October 2017. Revision accepted: 18 December 2017. Abstract. Yuzammi. 2018. The diversity of aroids (Araceae) in Bogor Botanic Gardens, Indonesia: Collection, conservation and utilization. Biodiversitas 19: 140-152. Bogor Botanic Gardens is an ex-situ conservation centre, covering an area of 87 ha, with 12,376 plant specimens, collected from Indonesia and other tropical countries throughout the world. One of the richest collections in the Gardens comprises members of the aroid family (Araceae). The aroids are planted in several garden beds as well as in the nursery. They have been collected from the time of the Dutch era until now. These collections were obtained from botanical explorations throughout the forests of Indonesia and through seed exchange with botanic gardens around the world. Several of the Bogor aroid collections represent ‘living types’, such as Scindapsus splendidus Alderw., Scindapsus mamilliferus Alderw. and Epipremnum falcifolium Engl. These have survived in the garden from the time of their collection up until the present day. There are many aroid collections in the Gardens that have potentialities not widely recognised. The aim of this study is to reveal the diversity of aroids species in the Bogor Botanic Gardens, their scientific value, their conservation status, and their potential as ornamental plants, medicinal plants and food.