Amaryllidaceae

Daffodil Family

Roger Spencer with assistance from Alistair Hay and Will Ashburner

Bulbous or rhizomatous perennial or biennial herbs, roots contractile. Leaves simple, annual or persistent, usually flat and sheathing at the base. Inflorescence terminal and usually umbel-like (occasionally solitary) with 2 or more bracts that enclose the flower cluster in bud. Flowers bisexual, generally regular, 3-parted. Tepals 6, in 2 whorls of 3, occasionally with a corona (crown or tube) as in Narcissus, the lobes free or united into a tube. Stamens 6, in 2 whorls of 3, free or united into a cup; anthers dehiscent via longitudinal slits or apical pores (in Galanthus and Leucojum). Ovary inferior, half-inferior or superior, of 3 united carpels and 3-chambered, each chamber with several to many ovules with axile or basal placentation. Fruit a capsule or, sometimes, berry. Seeds flat, winged or angular, sometimes D-shaped, testa black (with phytomelan).

Now includes Agapanthaceae and Alliaceae. This treatment follows Stevens, P.F. (2018, Angiosperm Phylogeny Website).

Rarely grown genera include: Urceolina, Boophone, Sternbergia, Phaedranassa and Stenomesson.

Umbellate flowers with spathe-like bracts; inferior ovary.

Mostly tropical family of about 73 genera and 1605 species with centres of diversity in S America (mostly Andes), S Africa and the Mediterranean.

The Journals Herbertia and Amaryllis have many articles of interest to bulb growers. The 1935 Year Book of the American Amaryllis Society, pp. 43-52, has a valuable historical article by G.K. Cowlishaw on the cultivation of Amaryllids in Australia.

Source: Spencer, R.; Hay, A.; Ashburner, W. (2005). Amaryllidaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

Updated by: Val Stajsic, April 2018

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kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Lilianae
order      Asparagales
Higher taxa
Subordinate taxa
genus        Agapanthus L'Hér.
genus        Allium L.
genus        ×Amarygia Ciferri & Giacomini
genus        Amaryllis L.
genus        Brunsvigia Heister
genus        Calostemma R.Br.
genus        Chlidanthus D.A.Herb.
genus        Clivia Lindl.
genus        Crinum L.
genus        Cyrtanthus Aiton.
genus        Eucharis Planch. & Lind.
genus        Galanthus L.
genus        Habranthus Herb.
genus        Haemanthus L.
genus        Hippeastrum Herb.
genus        Hymenocallis Salisb.
genus        Ipheion Raf.
genus        Leucocoryne Lindl.
genus        Leucojum L.
genus        Lycoris Herb.
genus        Narcissus L.
genus        Nectaroscordum Lindl.
genus        Nerine Herb.
genus        Pancratium L.
genus        Proiphys Herb.
genus        Rhodophiala Presl
genus        Scadoxus Raf.
genus        Sprekelia Heist.
genus        Tulbaghia L.
genus        Worsleya Traub
genus        Zephyranthes Herb.