Abstract: The family Araceae with 105 genera and approximately 2500 species is almost world-wide in distribution,it inhabits most major ecological zones. In this paper the areas of genera are classified into 12 dustibution patters and 29 subpatterns,namely:1. Cosmopolitan;2.Pantropic with 8 genera ,including 3 subpatterns;3.Old World Tropics with 7 genera,including 3 subpatterns;4.Tropical Asia with 27 genera,including 5 subpatterns;5.Tropical Africa with 13 genera,including 5 subpatterns;6.Tropical Australia with 1 genus;7.Neotropic with 32 genera,including 5 subpatterns;8.North Temperate with 6 genera,including 4 subpatterns;..etc.

Key words: Araceae

摘要： 本文将天南星科105个属的分布区归纳为12个分布类型和29个亚型，对每一类型的属进行生态地理分析。本科计有88个热带属，占全科的83．8％，是一个热带科。全科有两大分化中心：热带亚洲为属的多样化中心，热带美洲是种的分化中心。根据天南星科各属的生态地理研究，结合到科的系统发育程序，作者得出结论说：天南星科的原始类群在晚白垩纪时起源于亚洲大陆南缘，即欧亚古陆的亚洲南缘地带的水域生态环境。

关键词: 天南星科, 生态地理, 起源