AMARYLLIDACEAE AMARYLLIS FAMILY

AMARYLLIDACEAE - AMARYLLIS FAMILY

Scientific Description:

Perennial or biennial bulbous, rhizomatous or rarely cormous herbs; sometimes aquatic (e.g. CrinumL.) or epiphytic. Leaves aromatic (some Allioideae subfamily memmers), usually deciduous, linear to elliptic, simple, alternate (2-ranked or spiral); margins entire: petioles present or absent; sometimes sheathing. Inflorescences often umbel-like, solitary flowers, cymes, spikes, or panicles; scapose: bracts (1−)2(few) and/or often spathe-like, often enclosing flowers in bud. Flowers bisexual. actinomorphic or zygomorphic; often bracteolate. Perianth usually fused (basally to completely) or free; sometimes a conspicuous corona (e.g. NarcissusL.), inconspicuous (e.g. short rim of scales) or absent. Stamen filaments free or fused, usually attached to perianth. usually 6 but can be (2−)3 or 9−18 (GethyllisL.); anthers dorsifixed or basifixed, introrse; staminodes 3(−4) (e.g. GiliesiaF.Meell.). Ovary superior or inferior, rarely part-inferior; carpels fused, septal nectaries present; locules (1−)3; ovules 1-many per locule; placentation axile, basal or apical.Fruit a loculicidal capsule or berry.

Reference:
Byng JW (2014). Amaryllidaceae, In: The Flowering Plants Handbook: A practical guide to families and genera of the world. Plant Gateway Ltd., Hertford, UK., pp. 84.

Public Description:

“Amaryllis family” include herbaceous, mainly perennial and bulbous (rarely rhizomatous) plants. The family is found in tropical to subtropical areas of the world. This family include many ornamental garden plants such as daffodils (Narcissus L.), sternbergias (Sternbergia Waldst. & Kit.), snowdrops (Galanthus L.) and snowflakes (Leucojum L.), pot plants such as Amaryllis L. and Clivia Lindl., and vegetables, such as onions (Allium cepa L.), garlic (Allium sativum L.), chives (Allium schoenoprasum L.) and leeks (Allium ampeloprasum L.). For this reason, it has economic importance.

References:

Anonymous 1 (2016).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaryllidaceae, Accessed date: 27.01. 2016.

Anonymous 2 (2016).http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantab/amaryllid.htm Accessed date: 27.01. 2016.