Asphodelaceae Juss.

Asphodelaceae, S. Kativu. Flora Zambesiaca 12:3. 2001

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herbs, often herbaceous geophytes perennating by rhizomes, acaulescent, rarely caulescent; rhizome often yellow when cut, sometimes pinkish

Morphology Roots

Roots fibrous, sometimes swollen or fusiform

Morphology Leaves

Leaves in a basal rosette, or sometimes ± distichous on a short woody stem; lamina linear, flat to ± terete

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal or lateral, pedunculate with flowers racemosely or paniculately arranged; peduncle (scape) erect, leafless, occasionally with 1–3 sterile bracts below the inflorescence; pedicels subtended by a bract, non-articulated, or articulated at the apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers bisexual, 3-merous, actinomorphic; perianth petaloid, segments (tepals) of 3 inner and 3 outer, free or fused, white or pink, greenish- or pale yellow, yellow or red

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens of 3 inner and 3 outer, free or slightly fused to the perianth; filaments filiform, glabrous, scabrid or hairy; anthers dorsifixed, ± versatile, longitudinally introrse dehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary superior, 3-locular with axile placentation; ovules 2–many per locule; style slender with a small stigma

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a capsule with loculicidal dehiscence

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dull brown or greyish-black, sometimes arillate

Chemistry

Anthraquinones present in some taxa, giving the rhizome and sometimes the roots a yellowish colour inside

Hemerocallidaceae, C. Zimudzi & G. V. Pope. Flora Zambesiaca 12:3. 2001

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herbs or subshrubs, glabrous, rhizomatous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves distichous, sometimes with bases overlapping (equitant), clustered or evenly spaced on the stem, ovate to linear, sheathing at the base or not; lamina ± flattened throughout, or folded together lengthwise in the lower part and opened out in the upper part

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, paniculiform or of a solitary flower

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers hypogynous or perigynous, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, usually articulated on pedicels

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth wholly or partially marcescent; tepals 6, free or shortly united into a tube

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens 6, all free and hypogynous or inserted on tepal bases, or all connate at the base with 3 hypogynous and 3 inserted on tepal bases; anther filaments ornamented or not; anthers basifixed or dorsifixed, dehiscing latrorsely by pores or slits Pollen trichotomosulcate (sulcate in Hemerocallis)

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary syncarpous, 3- or 1-locular; style simple, terminating in a small capitate stigma or tuft of short hairs; ovules anatropous on axile or parietal placentas, bitegmic, 1–numerous on each placenta

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a berry or capsule; seeds black, exarillate

Aloaceae, S. Kativu. Flora Zambesiaca 12:3. 2001

Morphology General Habit

Herbs, shrubs, or trees, often with thickened roots

Morphology Leaves

Leaves usually perennial, fleshy, sheathing at the base and occasionally forming an underground bulb, in rosettes or spirally arranged, sometimes distichous, linear to lanceolate or ovate to triangular-conical; the margins with spine-tipped teeth or entire and sometimes ciliate; lamina smooth, rough or warty

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences pedunculate with flowers in 1–several terminal and axillary racemes, simple or paniculately arranged; bracts scarious, often sterile below the racemes, sometimes leaf-like on the lower part of the peduncle

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers bisexual, 3-merous, often zygomorphic, pedicellate, red, orange, yellow, white, or green, often bird-pollinated; perianth-segments 6, fused in the lower part to form a tube, the lobes in 2 whorls; stamens 6, inserted at the base of the ovary; ovary superior, 3-locular; style simple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule dehiscing loculicidally

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds several to numerous in each locule, often winged