Urospatha is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae that consists of 11 known species. They are found growing in South America and Central AmericaKew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families in swamps, wet savannahs, and brackish water. The leaves of the species in this genus are upward pointing and sagittate (arrow-shaped). The inflorescences are quite unique; the spathe is mottled and elongated with a spiral twist at the end. The seeds are distributed by water and have a texture similar to cork that allows them to float. They also quickly germinate in water.Govaerts, R. & Frodin, D.G. (2002). World Checklist and Bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae): 1-560. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.Forzza, R. C. 2010. Lista de espécies Flora do Brasil http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/2010. Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de JaneiroMayol, M., J. Bogner & P.C. Boyce. 1997. The Genera of Araceae i–xii, 1–370. Royal Botanic Gardens, KewBown, Demi (2000). Aroids: Plants of the Arum Family. Timber Press. .
Selected species Urospatha angustiloba Engl. - northwestern Brazil Urospatha antisylleptica R.E.Schult. - Colombia Urospatha caudata (Poepp.) Schott - Peru, northwestern Brazil Urospatha edwallii Engl. - southeastern Brazil Urospatha friedrichsthalii Schott - Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama Urospatha loefgreniana Engl. - central + southern Brazil Urospatha meyeri Schott - Suriname Urospatha riedeliana Schott - northeastern Brazil Urospatha sagittifolia (Rudge) Schott - Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas Urospatha somnolenta R.E.Schult. - Colombia Urospatha wurdackii (G.S.Bunting) A.Hay - Colombia, Venezuela
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