Marantaceae (Prayer-Plant Family)

The Marantaceae family — known as Prayer Plants — is celebrated for leaves that fold upward at night and unfurl in the morning, a movement called nyctinasty. This captivating family includes Calathea (now largely reclassified as Goeppertia), Maranta, Ctenanthe, and Stromanthe — all known for their extraordinarily ornate leaf patterns and their preference for warm, humid conditions that mimic the rainforest floor.