Calathea Meyer (1818: 6)

Niissalo, Matti A., Khew, Gillian S., Webb, Edward L. & Leong-Škorničková, Jana, 2016, Notes on Singaporean native Zingiberales II: revision of Marantaceae, with a new generic record and notes on naturalised and commonly cultivated exotic species, Phytotaxa 289 (3), pp. 201-224 : 220

Calathea Meyer (1818: 6) , tropical Americas

Once the largest genus in the family, Calathea now has only 37 species. Two are in general cultivation in Singapore. In Singapore the genus can be identified by the large leaf lamina on a tall stalk, often higher than 2 m, similar to Thaumatococcus daniellii but with a grey waxy surface on the leaves. The flowers are in a flattened, yellow synflorescence. By far the most commonly cultivated species is C. lutea ( Aublet 1775: 4) Schultes (1822: 8) (fig. 7A–B). It has been widely planted in traffic dividers, shopping malls and private gardens for its large leaves. Less commonly cultivated C. crotalifera Watson (1889: 86) has larger, brighter yellow synflorescences (fig. 7C–D).