Liliaceae

About Liliaceae

Systematic Position

Class -Monocotyledonae

Series-Coronarieae

Family-Liliaceae

Commonly called the ‘lily family’ is a characteristic representative of monocotyledonous plants. It includes about 250 genera, and 4000 species, distributed worldwide. About 200 species are available in India.

Vegetative characters: Plants mostly herbs with perennating rhizome or bulb, a few climbers (Asparagus and Smilax) Yucca and Aloe are xerophytic; root, fibrous, tuberous in Asparagus; in Asparagus, the leaves are reduced to minute scales (cladodes).

Distinguishing features :

(1) Inflorescence : Solitary axillary, scapigerous cyme or cymose umbel.

(2) Flowers hypogynous and trimerous. Bisexual or unisexual (Smilax and Ruscus)

(3) Perianth 6, in two alternate whorls polyphyllous or gamophyllous.

(4) Androecium 6, often epiphyllous, versatile or basifixed anthers.

(5) Tricarpellary, syncarpous, superior, trilocular ovary with axile placentation, stigma trilobed.

(6) Fruit is capsule or berry.

F.F. Br. 

Economic Importance

Smilax, Aloe, Gloriosa, Colchicum and Scilla yields useful drugs. Aloin, a purgative is obtained from Aloe vera, rat poison from Urginea and Scilla, tonic from Asparagus (shatavar). Yucca gloriosa and Phormium tenax produce fibres.

Important Plants :

(1) Asphodelous tennuifolius (Piazi)

(2) Allium cepa (Piaz)

(3) Allium sativum (Garlic)

(4) Colchicum luteum (Hiran tutia)

(5) Colchicum autumnale

(6) Asparagus officinalis (satmooli)

(7) Asparagus ascendens (Safed mooli)

(8) Aloe vera (Ghee-gwar)

(9) Yucca

(10) Dracaena

(11) Smilax

(12) Gloriosa superba (Dagger plant)

(13) Tulipa (Tulip)

(14) Ruscus

(15) Lilium (Lily)

(16) Sansevieria roxburghiana (Indian Bowstring hemp)

(17) Sansevieria trifasciata (Mother-in-law’s tongue)

(18) Urginea indica