Alstroemeriaceae Dumort.

Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb, erect or twining, rhizomatous with storage roots

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile simple, entire, generally resupinate (twisted near the base or along the lamina), concentrated toward the apex, distributed along the stem or in a rosette on a short stem; both sides glabrous, or papillous on the adaxial side

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a terminal, umbel -like, simple or branched cyme of 2 to many flowers or rarely flowers solitary, wrapped in leaf-like bracts

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic, bisexual; tepals 6, petaloid, free, in 2 whorls, the inner petals often shorter than the outher, patterned, basally narrowed into a canaliculate, nectariferous duct; stamens 6; anthers pseudobasifixed, dehiscence longitudinal introrse; ovary inferior, 3-carpellate, 1-locular parietal with placentation or 3-locular and  axile placentation, ovules many, anatropous; style apical, stigma 3, wet

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a dry, leathery or rarely fleshy loculicidal capsule (rarely a berry), rarely indehiscent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds globose, with or without a red sarcotesta.

Note

Number of genera: 3 genera: Alstroemeria (including Schickendantzia Pax and Taltalia Ehr. Bayer). Bomarea Leontochir The family is distributed from Central Mexico and Antilles to Patagonia, living in a wide range of habitats from cloud forests to swamps and desert areas, and from high Andes to marsh lands. Some species of Bomarea and several Alstroemeria species and hybrids have gained world-wide importance as cut flower crops due to their attractive flowers and the excellent keeping quality of them. Nevertheless, they are also satisfactory for growing in pots and for garden and landscape uses. The storage roots of some species of Bomarea and Alstroemeria are edible. The recognized taxa have been morphologically studied in detail and data focused on floral characters, the presence or absence of resupination in the leaf, the plant height and the characteristics of the inflorescence. Most of the floral characters have taxonomic importance. Several of them are also of ornamental weight such as the basic colour (which varies from yellow, orange through red-purple and violet to pink and white) the disposition, the form of the tepals and the presence or absence of spots or streaks on them.

Diagnostic

Key to genera of Neotropical Alstroemeriaceae 1.  Erect herb; flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic; seeds with or without sarcotesta — 21.  Twining herb (very rarely erect); flowers actinomorphic; seeds with sarcotesta — Bomarea 2.  Flowers zygomorphic; ovary 3-locular — Alstroemeria2.  Flowers actinomorphic; ovary 1-locular — Leontochir Resupinate leaves. Distinguishing characters (always present): Sympodialrhizome with storage roots. Epigynous flowers. Pseudo-basifixed anthers.

Distribution

All genera are native to the Neotropics. Alstroemeria L. - South America. Bomarea Mirb. - From Central Mexico and the Antilles to South America. Leontochir Phil. - Endemic to North Chile.

Use

Several species of Alstroemeria are of great economic importance in horticulture, whereas species of Bomarea, particularly B. edulis, are cultivated for their starchy edible roots.