Systematic position: Monocotyledons, Coronarieae, Liliaceae
Commonly called the ‘Lily family’ is a characteristic representative of monocotyledonous plants. It is distributed world wide.
Vegetative characters:
- Perennial herbs with underground bulbs/corms/ rhizomes
- Leaves mostly basal, alternate, linear, exstipulate with parallel venation
Floral characters
- Inflorescence: solitary / cymose; often umbellate clusters
- Flower: bisexual; actinomorphic
- Perianth tepal six (3+3), often united into tube; valvate aestivation
- Androecium: stamen six, 3+3, epitepalous
- Gynoecium: tricarpellary, syncarpous, ovary superior, trilocular with
- many ovules; axile placentation
- Fruit: capsule, rarely berry
- Seed: endospermous
- Floral Diagram and Floral Formula:
Economic Importance
Many plants belonging to this family are good ornamentals (tulip, Gloriosa), source of medicine (Aloe), vegetables (Asparagus), and colchicine (Colchicum autumnale).
Learn more: 10 Examples of Liliaceae
