Lily (Family Liliaceae)

The Liliaceae, or the Lily Family, is a family of monocotyledons in

the order Liliales. As treated very broadly, the Liliaceae are mostly

perennial herbs from starchy rhizomes, corms, or bulbs comprising

about 280 genera and 4,000 species.

Lilies are widely distributed, primarily in the Northern Hemisphere,

with a major center of distribution in the southwest and from Hima-

layan Asia to China, where they commonly are spring-flowering

plants of steppes and mountain meadows. As ornamentals, lilies are

near world wide distribution.

Various members of the Liliaceae Family are used for food (e.g.,

onion, shallot, garlic, and chives), medicinal use (e.g., colchicine and

red squill), and ornamentals (e.g., day lily, tulip, and solomon's seal).

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