~ Liliaceae
Habit and leaf form. Trees (to 10 m), or `arborescent', or shrubs, or herbs (dwarf to large). Perennial; with a basal aggregation of leaves, or with neither basal nor terminal aggregations of leaves; rhizomatous, or tuberous. Self supporting, or epiphytic (on trees). Mesophytic, or xerophytic. Leaves medium-sized, or large; alternate; spiral, or distichous; `herbaceous', or leathery; petiolate (rarely), or subsessile, or sessile; sheathing; simple. Lamina entire; linear, or lanceolate, or oblong, or ovate; parallel-veined; without cross-venules. Lamina margins entire.
Leaf anatomy. Stomata paracytic (at least in Astelia).
Lamina dorsiventral. The mesophyll containing calcium oxalate crystals, or without calcium oxalate crystals (?). The mesophyll crystals raphides (?), or solitary-prismatic. Minor leaf veins without phloem transfer cells (Cordyline). Vessels absent.
Stem anatomy. Secondary thickening absent, or anomalous; from a single cambial ring. Xylem without vessels.
Root anatomy. Root xylem with vessels. Vessel end-walls scalariform.
Reproductive type, pollination. Hermaphrodite, or polygamomonoecious.
Inflorescence, floral, fruit and seed morphology. Flowers aggregated in `inflorescences'; in racemes, or in spikes. The terminal inflorescence unit racemose. Inflorescences terminal; racemes or spikes. Flowers regular; 3 merous (usually), or 5-7 merous (Neoastelia); cyclic; pentacyclic. Perigone tube present, or absent.
Perianth of `tepals'; 6 (usually), or 10-14 (Neoastelia); free, or joined; 2 whorled; isomerous; petaloid; similar in the two whorls; green, or white, or violet, or brown.
Androecium 6. Androecial members adnate (to the perianth); all equal; free of one another; 1 - whorled (?), or 2 - whorled (at least sometimes). Androecium exclusively of fertile stamens. Stamens 6; diplostemonous; al\ter\ni\peri\anthial (at least sometimes). Anthers basifixed (or nearly so); dehiscing via longitudinal slits; introrse; tetrasporangiate. The thickenings spiral. Microsporogenesis successive. Tapetum glandular. Pollen grains aperturate; 1 - aperturate; sulcate.
Gynoecium 3(-4). Carpels isomerous with the perianth (usually), or increased in number relative to the perianth. Gynoecium syncarpous; eu-syncarpous; superior. Ovary 3 locular (usually), or 1 locular (rarely, when G4). Gynoecium non-stylate, or stylate. Styles 1; apical. Stigmas 1; dry type. Placentation when unilocular parietal; axile. Ovules in the single cavity when unilocular, 4-15; 4-15 per locule; anatropous, or campylotropous.
Fruit fleshy (usually), or non-fleshy; indehiscent (usually), or dehiscent; a berry (usually), or a capsule (e.g. Milligania). Seeds endospermic. Endosperm oily. Cotyledons 1. Embryo straight. Testa encrusted with phytomelan.
Physiology, biochemistry. Alkaloids absent (?). Proanthocyanidins absent. Flavonols absent. Ellagic acid absent. Saponins/sapogenins present.
Geography, cytology. Paleotropical, Australian, and Antarctic. Widespread in the Southern Hemisphere, absent from southern Africa. X = 8, 19.
Taxonomy. Subclass Monocotyledonae. Superorder Liliiflorae; Burmanniales. Species about 55. Genera 3-4; Astelia, Cordyline, Milligania, Neoastelia.
Illustrations. astel859.gif
