The Nepenthaceae is a monotypic family of tropical carnivorous plants containing about 120 species in the single genus Nepenthes. The name is derived from the Greek roots ne- meaning 'not' and penthos meaning sorrow or grief. It was first published in 1737 by Linnaeus and refers to Homer's use of the name Nepenthe in the Odyssey. Nepenthe was a drug which supposedly banished sorrow with forgetfulness, and Linnaeus wrote that all who beheld orchids would be so astonished  as to forget all past ills. These plants are commonly referred to as pitchers or monkey cups. The pitcher is a modified leaf arising from a tendril growing out of the stem, and is filled with a watery or syrupy substance in which mostly insects but occasionally larger prey is trapped. Above the pitcher is often a lid which keeps rainwater from diluting the fluid within. Male and female flowers are produced on separate plants.