PlantNET Home DONATE TODAY | PlantNET Home | Search NSW Flora | Contact Us  
FloraOnline
Introduction
Plant Name Search
Index Search
Spatial Search
Identification Keys
Classification
Glossary
WeedAlert
Telopea Journal
Other Data Sources
NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE Printable Page

Family ASPHODELACEAE

Synonyms: Aloeaceae APNI*
Phormiaceae APNI*
Dianellaceae APNI*
Hemerocallidaceae APNI*
Xanthorrhoeaceae APNI*

Description: Clump-forming or rhizomatous perennial herbs, shrubs, vines or pachycaul branched or unbranched trees with anomalous secondary growth. Roots usually succulent and sometimes thickened and tuberous, occasionally still-like.

Leaves distichous or spirally arranged, herbaceous or succulent, or brittle, flat, V-shaped, swollen or terete.

Inflorescences terminal, variously branched panicles, racemes, cylindrical spikes, or rarely an umbel (Tricoryne), or reduced to a single flower. Bracts absent or present. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic or zygomorphic. Tepals 6, free or slightly fused into a tube at base. Stamens 6, free or basally fused with tepals. Anthers basifixed or dorsifixed, opening by pores or slits. Ovary superior or semi-inferior, 1- or 3-locular. Style 1, rarely gynobasic (Tricoryne), terminated by a small capitate stigma or a tuft of hairs.

Fruit a berry, nutlet, or capsule that splits into three, exposing black seeds.


Distribution and occurrence: World: 39-41 genera, c. 1000 species, worldwide. Australia: 23 genera, 132 species, all States.

External links:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae, Order: Asparagales)
Wikipedia

This broad family concept was introduced by APG III (2009) as Xanthorrhoeaceae and later renamed by APG IV (2016) as Asphodelaceae. It includes genera that were included in various families in pre-phylogenetic classification systems, including: Xanthorrhoeaceae, Phormiaceae, Hemerocallidaceae, Asphodelaceae, and part of Anthericaceae. Previous versions of this website reflected these now defunct family concepts.

Text by H. Sauquet (Mar 2021), based on Christenhusz MJM, Fay MF, Chase MW. 2017. Plants of the World: An illustrated encyclopedia of vascular plants. University of Chicago Press.
Taxon concept: Angiosperm Phylogeny Group IV (2016)

 Key to the genera 
1Plants arborescent2
Plants herbaceous3
2Leaf bases persistent on the stemXanthorrhoea
Leaf bases not persistent on the stem
                       Back to 1
Kniphofia
3Leaves well developed, green and scattered along the aerial stem and branches; flowers usually axillary or in small terminal inflorescences; underground stems generally not well developed4
Leaves all or mostly basal or reduced and bract-like along the aerial stems; flowers commonly borne on a ± leafless scape or on a terminal inflorescence; underground stems well developed, usually modified into bulbs, corms, tubers or rhizomes
                       Back to 1
7
4Filaments densely bearded or with a conspicuous swelling below the anthers; perianth commonly blue, rarely cream; plants >30 cm high5
Filaments neither bearded nor with a conspicuous swelling below the anthers; perianth usually cream or lilac; plants usually <30 cm high
                       Back to 3
Geitonoplesium
5Fruit a berry; anthers not coiling after dehiscence; staminal filaments swollen and papillose at apexDianella
Fruit a capsule; anthers coiling or strongly recurving after dehiscence; staminal filaments not swollen and papillose at apex
                       Back to 4
6
6Flowers nodding; staminal filaments very densely hairy in upper half; seeds lenticular with ridged margins, dull or glisteningStypandra
Flowers erect; staminal filaments shortly and densely hairy except at base and apex; seeds laterally compressed with rounded margins, more or less shining
                       Back to 5
Thelionema
7All flowers unisexual, arranged in spikesXanthorrhoea
Flowers bisexual, rarely some unisexual flowers present
                       Back to 3
8
8Flowers terminal, solitary and sessile; plants forming mats in damp alpine flatsHerpolirion
Flowers axillary or if terminal then not solitary and sessile; plants not alpine
                       Back to 7
9
9Filaments dorsifixed, anthers versatile; either leaves fleshy and with spinose teeth, or leaves ± terete, sometimes channelled above10
Filaments attached at or near the base of the anthers, anthers not versatile; leaves ± flat
                       Back to 8
14
10Flowers white; inflorescence a simple or branched panicle11
Flowers yellow to red; inflorescence a raceme
                       Back to 9
12
11Base of leaves broadened and membranous; leaves hollow; scape hollow; inflorescence a simple panicle; ovules 1 or 2 per loculusAsphodelus
Base of leaves surrounded by membranous sheaths; leaves hollow at base; scape usually solid; inflorescence a divaricately branched panicle; ovules more than 2 per loculus
                       Back to 10
Trachyandra
12Perianth 4–25 mm long; tepals yellow with brown central stripe; capsule globose to obovoidBulbine
Perianth more than 25 mm long; tepals red, salmon-orange or yellow-green; capsule linear to oblong or ovoid
                       Back to 10
13
13Leaves fleshy, succulent, without distinct keel, more than 4 cm wide; margins sharply toothed with teeth 0.5–5 mm long; bracts several-veinedAloe
Leaves papery and thin (often fibrous), distinctly keeled, less than 3 cm wide; margins smooth to minutely toothed or with a few scattered teeth towards apex; bracts 1-veined
                       Back to 12
Kniphofia
14Anthers dehiscing by apical pores15
Anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits
                       Back to 9
18
15Flowers strongly tubular, mixed red-brown-orange in colourPhormium
Flowers with tepals wide-spreading from near base or recurved, white or blue or pale yellow
                       Back to 14
16
16Fruit a berry; anthers not coiling after dehiscence; staminal filaments swollen and papillose at apexDianella
Fruit a capsule; anthers coiling or strongly recurving after dehiscence; staminal filaments not swollen and papillose at apex
                       Back to 15
17
17Flowers nodding; staminal filaments very densely hairy in upper half; seeds lenticular with ridged margins, dull or glisteningStypandra
Flowers erect; staminal filaments shortly and densely hairy except at base and apex; seeds laterally compressed with rounded margins, more or less shining
                       Back to 16
Thelionema
18Tepals not spirally twisted after flowering19
Tepals spirally twisted after flowering
                       Back to 14
20
19Flowers terminal, solitary and sessile; plants forming mats in damp alpine flatsHerpolirion
Flowers in a cyme, usually pedicellate; plants from cultivation, not alpine
                       Back to 18
Hemerocallis
20Filaments with a tuft of narrow clavate hairs below anther; flowers yellowTricoryne
Filaments all glabrous, or scabrous, finely pubescent or papillose; flowers blue or white to pale yellow
                       Back to 18
21
21Inflorescences annual; pedicels to 15 mm long; stamens of 2 lengths; capsule more or less 3-lobed; seed more or less globose; flowers blue or rarely whiteCaesia
Inflorescence perennating; pedicels to 3.5 mm long; stamens equal in length; capsule not lobed; seed ellipsoid; flowers white to pale yellow
                       Back to 20
Corynotheca

  Privacy | Copyright | Disclaimer | About PlantNET | Cite PlantNET