General description:- Perennial herbs, often with bulbs, corms, rhizomes or
tuberous roots; sometimes climbers, rarely annuals or small shrubs.
Flowers:- Usually in racemes or panicles, more rarely solitary or in cymes or
umbels, regular or slightly zygomorphic, usually hermaphrodite. Perianth of two
whorls, each of (2-)3(-5) usually petaloid segments, free or variously joined margin
to margin (connate). Stamens usually as many as perianth-segments, free or
connate. Ovary with 3 compartments (3-locular), centre and above the other flower
parts (superior) (very rarely 1-locular or semi-inferior); styles 1 or 3(-5).
Fruit:- A capsule that when a ripe splits into the cells, i.e. splits not at the lines of
junction between the compartments (locules) (loculicidal) or splits along the lines of
junction of the carpels, i.e. along the septa, the fruit valves remaining attached and
not falling off (septicidal).
Genus:- ASPHODELINE
General description:- Glabrous perennial herbs with short, non-bulbous stock and
fleshy roots.
Leaves:- Linear, alternate, with wide, dry, thin (scarious), sheathing base.
Flowers:- Numerous, yellow or white, in a dense terminal raceme; bracts
persistent, scarious, each subtending 1-3(-5) flowers. Pedicels articulated. Perianth
with a very short tube and narrow, patent, 3-veined segments. Stamens and style
curved downwards, the stamens unequal; filaments glabrous, dilated at the base;
anthers dorsifixed, introrse.
Fruit:- A loculicidal capsule; seeds 6.
Key features:-
1) Rootstock a bulb.
2) Stamens and perianth-segments 6.
3) Fruit a capsule.
4) Anthers dorsifixed, ± versatile.
5) Leaves with a wide, scarious, sheathing base.
6) Perianth ± rotate.
Genus:- ASPHODELUS
General description:- Annuals or rhizomatous perennials.
Leaves:- Linear, all basal.
Flowers:- White or pale pink, numerous, in a dense raceme or panicle; bracts
persistent, thin and dry (scarious). Pedicels articulated. Perianth segments 6, free
or united only at the base, spreading (patent). Stamens 6, free; filaments expanded
at the base; anthers dorsifixed, opening inwards (introrse).
Fruit:- A loculicidal capsule; seeds 6.
Key features:-
1) Perianth rotate or cup shaped.
2) Style and stamens not declinate.
3) Anthers dorsifixed.
4) Filaments expanded at the base so as to invest the ovary