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Liliaceae
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tulip Columbia lily
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Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap
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tulip A tulip (Tulipa) in flower.

Liliaceae

plant family
Also known as: lily family
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Columbia lily
Columbia lilyColumbia lily (Lilium columbianum) in North Cascades National Park, Washington.

Liliaceae, the lily family of the flowering plant order Liliales, with 16 genera and 635 species of herbs and shrubs, native primarily to temperate and subtropical regions. Members of the family usually have six-segmented flowers and three-chambered capsular fruits; occasionally the fruits are berries. The leaves usually have parallel veins and are clustered at the base of the plant but may alternate along the stem or be arranged in whorls. Most species have an underground storage structure, such as a bulb.

The family is important for its many garden ornamentals and houseplants, especially Erythronium, fritillary (Fritillaria), lily (Lilium), and tulip (Tulipa).

This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.
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narcissus
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poet's narcissus daffodil bulb jonquil Sprouting narcissus (Narcissus) bulb
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Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap
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poet's narcissus
poet's narcissus Poet's narcissus (Narcissus poeticus).

narcissus

plant
Also known as: Narcissus
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narcissus, (genus Narcissus), genus of about 40 species of bulbous, often fragrant, plants in the amaryllis family. The genus is native primarily to Europe and includes a number of popular garden ornamentals and cut flowers. The bulbs of Narcissus species, which are poisonous, were once used in medicines as an emetic and cathartic.

Taxonomy

See also list of plants in the family Amaryllidaceae.

Physical description

daffodil
1 of 2
daffodilDaffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus).
bulb
2 of 2
bulbA longitudinal section of a Narcissus bulb. The outer brown layer is the protective tunic, within which are layers of white, immature leaf scales. All the leaf scales and the roots are attached at the basal plate (pale brown).

Most species are perennials and emerge from bulbs in the spring. The flattened leaves arise from the base of the plant and range in height from 5 cm (2 inches) to 1.2 meters (4 feet), depending on the species. Each stem bears one yellow, white, or pink flower with a corolla deeply cleft into six tepals (indistinguishable petals and sepals) and a central crown, or corona, that contains the stamens and stigma. The central crown of each flower ranges in shape from the form of a trumpet, as in the daffodil, to a ringlike cup, as in the poet’s narcissus. The fruit is a dry capsule.

Major species

jonquil
jonquilA group of spring jonquils (Narcissus jonquilla) in bloom.

Some species hybridize in the wild, and many horticultural crosses between species have resulted in attractive garden hybrids. Common garden ornamentals include the daffodil (or trumpet narcissus, Narcissus pseudonarcissus), jonquil (N. jonquilla), and poet’s narcissus (N. poeticus). An oil from jonquil flowers is used in perfumes.

Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap
Britannica Quiz
Plants: From Cute to Carnivorous

Several wild species of the Mediterranean region are listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. These include the Spanish narciso (N. nevadensis), cebolletas (N. alcaracensis), N. longispathus, and N. radinganorum; N. willkommii of Portugal; and the Moroccan nardjes (N. albimarginatus), as well as several Moroccan species known as anssel srhir (N. jacquemoudii, N. jeanmonodii, and N. tingitanus).

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.
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