It is native to the Mediterranean region, east to the Caucasus and west to Macaronesia.

[2][3][4] Accepted species:[2] It is closely related to the genera Ambrosina, Peltandra, and Typhonodorum.

Ambrosina is the sister group to Arisarum, from which it separated about 46.1 Million years ago.

[1] The precise relationships are displayed in the following cladogram:[1] Ambrosina Arisarum Typhonodorum Peltandra

[5] Arisarum foliage is parasitized by the siphonous green algae Phyllosiphon arisari Kühn.