lily family

lily family
the large plant family Liliaceae, characterized by chiefly herbaceous plants growing from bulbs, corms, rhizomes, or tubers, having narrow, parallel-veined, usually basal leaves, often showy flowers, and fruit in the form of a berry or capsule, and including the aloe, asparagus, aspidistra, hyacinth, numerous species of lily, lily of the valley, trillium, and tulip.

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Family Liliaceae (order Liliales), which contains about 4,000 species of flowering herbs and shrubs in 280 genera.

The genus Lilium includes the true lilies. Native primarily to temperate and subtropical regions, these monocots (see cotyledon) usually have six-segmented flowers, three-chambered capsular fruits, and leaves with parallel veins. Among the oldest cultivated plants, true lilies are erect perennials with leafy stems, scaly bulbs, usually narrow leaves, and solitary or clustered flowers, some quite fragrant, in a variety of colours. Most species store nutrients underground in a bulb, corm, or tuber. Important garden ornamentals and houseplants in the family include aloe, bluebell, crocus, daylily, hosta, Solomon's seal, and tulip. Food-producing members include onion, garlic, and asparagus.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • lily family — noun includes species sometimes divided among the following families: Alliaceae; Aloeaceae; Alstroemeriaceae; Aphyllanthaceae; Asparagaceae; Asphodelaceae; Colchicaceae; Convallariaceae; Hemerocallidaceae; Hostaceae; Hyacinthaceae; Melanthiaceae; …   Useful english dictionary

  • lily — [lil′ē] n. pl. lilies [ME lilie < OE < L lilium] 1. any of a large genus (Lilium) of perennial plants of the lily family, grown from a bulb and having typically trumpet shaped flowers, white or colored 2. the flower or the bulb of any of… …   English World dictionary

  • water-lily family — noun dicot aquatic plants • Syn: ↑Nymphaeaceae, ↑family Nymphaeaceae • Hypernyms: ↑magnoliid dicot family • Member Holonyms: ↑Ranales, ↑order Ranales, ↑Ranunculales …   Useful english dictionary

  • water lily family — the plant family Nymphaeaceae, characterized by aquatic herbaceous plants having usually broad leaves, solitary, often showy flowers, and fruit in a variety of forms, and including the lotus (genus Nelumbo), spatterdock, water lily, and water… …   Universalium

  • water lily family — the plant family Nymphaeaceae, characterized by aquatic herbaceous plants having usually broad leaves, solitary, often showy flowers, and fruit in a variety of forms, and including the lotus (genus Nelumbo), spatterdock, water lily, and water… …   Useful english dictionary

  • lily of the valley — ► NOUN ▪ a plant of the lily family, with broad leaves and small white bell shaped flowers …   English terms dictionary

  • lily of the valley — n. pl. lilies of the valley [transl. of LL(Ec) lilium convallium in S. of Sol. 2:1 (Vulg)] a perennial plant (Convallaria majalis) of the lily family, that grows in the shade and has a single pair of basal, oblong leaves and a single leafless… …   English World dictionary

  • Lily of the Valley — For other uses, see Lily of the Valley (disambiguation). Convallaria majalis Scientific classification …   Wikipedia

  • lily — lilylike, adj. /lil ee/, n., pl. lilies, adj. n. 1. any scaly bulbed plant of the genus Lilium, having showy, funnel shaped or bell shaped flowers. Cf. lily family. 2. the flower or the bulb of such a plant. 3. any of various related or similar… …   Universalium

  • Lily — /lil e/, n. a female given name. Also, Lilly. * * * (as used in expressions) day lily African lily lily of the Nile Lily Claudette Chauchoin lily family lily of the valley Lily William water lily * * * ▪ plant       the common na …   Universalium

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