Liliaceae
	Genera : 280 Species: 4000

 

To Genus Directories:

Agapanthus Allium Alstroemeria Asperagus Bulbocodium Camassia Crinum Convallaria Danae Disporum Eremurus Erythronium Eucomis pole-evansii -img  Erythronium  Fritillaria Galanthus_nivalis -image Hemerocallis

Lapageria rosea -img Lilium Maianthemum Medeola  Ornithogalum umbellatum Polygonatum Ruscus  Scilla Smilacina Streptopus Thysanotus Trillium  Tulbachia  Tulipa Uvularia Veratum_vivide - img

Xerophyllum  Zygadenus

Distribution: Worldwide

Economic Uses: As the source of the familiar vegetables; asparagas, onions, garlic and leeks as well as cultivated for garden and indoor ornamentals such as amaryllis, daylillies, narcissus, hostas, daffodils, trillium and tulips.

Defining Features of Interest: The obviously abundant diversity of the family causes it to be split into several smaller families (27) by some botanists. Among these are; the Amaryllidaceae(which we treat here), the Alliaceae, the Asparagaceae, the Rusaceae and the Trilliaceae. Some species are poisonous.

Fossil Evidence:Fossil pollen in the Eocene.

Defining Morphology

Floral Features : Actinomorphic (rarely zygomorphic) and perfect, often showy. Inflorescence a solitary flower or flowers borne in cymes, racemes,spikes or umbels. Hypogynous or epigynous with an hypanthium sometimes present.

Fruit and Seed Features : Fruit a berry, capsule or samara. Seeds sometimes flat or with an aril and endosperm present. Placentation is axile.

Vegetative Features : Habit is as perennial herbs from bulbs, corms or rhizomes and rarley as vinesor shrubs. Leaves a re simple, often sessile and variously arranged. Venation is usually parallel.