LILIACEAE

the lily family of the flowering plant order Liliales, with about 280 genera and some 4,000 species of herbs and shrubs, native primarily to temperate and subtropical regions. Members of the family usually have six-segmented flowers and three-chambered capsular fruits; occasionally the fruits are berries. The leaves usually have parallel veins and are clustered at the base of the plant but may alternate along the stem or be arranged in whorls. Most species have an underground storage structure, such as a stem, bulb, corm, or tuber. Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) Tulip (Tulipa). The family is important for its many garden ornamentals and houseplants, especially Aspidistra, bellwort (Uvularia), bluebell (Endymion), Colchicum, day lily (Hemerocallis), Dracaena, Erythronium, fritillary (Fritillaria), Galtonia, grape-hyacinth (Muscari), herb Paris (Paris), hyacinth (Hyacinthus; see ), lily (Lilium), lily of the valley (Convallaria; see photograph), Ornithogalum, plantain lily (Hosta), snowdrop (Galanthus), Solomon's seal (Polygonatum), squill (Scilla), ti (Cordyline), torch lily (Kniphofia), Trillium, tuberose (Polianthes), tulip (Tulipa; see photograph), Veratrum, and Zygadenus.