Anthericaceae

Abstract

Perennial, terrestrial herbs from short rhizomes, rarely with a woody stem (Chlorophytum suffruticosum); roots fibrous or thickened and fleshy, sometimes with distant tubers. Leaves spirally to distinchously arranged, basal, numerous, more or less sheathing, often surrounded by scarious leaf remnants; leaf blades dorsiventral, linear to oblong-lanceolate, parallel-veined. Inflorescence erect, mostly scapose, racemes or panicles, or with slender pedicels arising directly and umbel-like from a subterranean axis (Leucocrinum and Anthericum angustifolium). Flowers bisexual, hypogynous, pedicellate, actinomorphic or zygomorphic (Diora, rarely Chlorophytum), relatively small, white to greenish or yellow, sometimes reddish streaked or tinged, never blue or violet, solitary or several per node, with 1 to several bracts; tepals 3 + 3; both whorls more or less equal, persistent; perianth spreading to reflexed, or perigone narrowly campanulate (Diamena), or rarely fused basally into a long tube (Leucocrinum, Diora), articulated on the pedicels with pericladium or not. Stamens 6, free or shortly united basally (Echeandia); anthers dorsifixed and sometimes inserted into a rimmed pit or basifixed, introrse, dehiscing by longitudinal slits; thecae 2, oblong to elongate; attached to the tepal bases (Anthericum and Chlorophytum) or apex of the perigone tube (Leucocrinum). Gynoecium tricarpellary, syncarpous, sessile or rarely stipitate (Chlorophytum); ovary trilocular with 2–many anatropous or campylotropous ovules in 2 rows on axile placentas; septal nectaries present; style filiform, stigma minutely capitate; fruit a dry dehiscent loculicidal capsule; seeds numerous to 2 in each locule, black, rounded, angular, folded or flattened; testa thick, phytomelanencrusted, endosperm fleshy; embryo cylindric, curved inwards; rarely with a basal tuft of hairs (Comospermum).