Description of the family:
Herbs with bulbs or rhizomes. Leaves in a basal rosette or fan. Scape leafless, solid or hollow. Inflorescence of 1-many flowers in an umbel-like inflorescence, subtended by an involucre of 1-many bracts and with ephemeral hyaline bracts between the flowers. Flowers showy, bisexual, 3-merous, actinomorphic (less often slightly zygomorphic). Perianth segments in 2 series of 3, free or ± united; corona sometimes present. Stamens 6. Ovary inferior, 3-locular. Fruit a capsule or berry.
Comment:
The combination of flowers in umbels, inferior ovary and 6 stamens defines this family unambiguously. The somewhat similar-looking Alliaceae differs in having a superior ovary.
Worldwide:
65 genera and 725 species occurring in tropical and warm areas, notably in South Africa and the Andes.
Zimbabwe:
9 genera and 24 taxa.
- Ammocharis Herb.
- Boophone Herb.
- Crinum L.
- Cryptostephanus Welw. ex Baker
- Cyrtanthus Aiton
- Nerine Herb.
- Pancratium L.
- Scadoxus Raf.
- Zephyranthes Herb