The Liliaceae family unites about 1300 species, represented mainly by herbaceous bulbous plants. They are widespread in the temperate zone of Eurasia, in Africa and North America. Some members of the family grow in the mountains of the tropical zone of South America. More recently, liliaceae were a very large taxonomic unit; almost all plants with six perianth leaves and six stamens belonged to this family. Lily of the valley, aspidistra, chlorophytum, asparagus, aloe, yucca, agave, and onion were considered lily. But now these plants are excluded, and only a few genera are included in the Liliaceae family.
The main sign that formed the belonging to the family was the fact of the presence of a real bulb. Lily leaves are never arranged in two rows, as, for example, in bulbous or amaryllis, which previously belonged to this family. When sprouting from a bulb, young leaves are folded inward or folded into a tube, but not flat or unfolded. Inflorescences are a type of brush in which each flower is in the bosom of its own leaf, and the upper ovary is clearly visible when viewed from above.
Lilya bulbs were evolutionarily formed as a way of survival of the species under adverse environmental conditions. For example, in dry or cold weather. A bulb is a modified shoot, it accumulates a large amount of nutrients and water, so for the most part they are perennial, but there are some species with annual bulbs. The structure, appearance and features of the formation of bulbs of plants of the Liliaceae family are different. The leaves are simple, without stipules, with parallel venation, lanceolate or linear. Flower-bearing shoots are simple, without branches.
Not only herbs are included in the Liliaceae family, their representatives are found among shrubs and trees. The Himalayan giant cardiocrinum, reaching a height of 4 meters, is considered the highest representative, and the smallest - South African lithanthus. But the most famous are lilies, among which there are both wild-growing and cultural forms and varieties. Many gardeners are very fond of these plants for their strong pleasant aroma of flowers. Currently, a huge number of varieties of lilies have been bred , which glorified the Lily family. The flower in each of the cultivars differs in size and color. They are appreciated for the splendor of the bushes, from them create beautiful ceremonial flower beds. And along the paths are usually planted undersized varieties. Lilies are perfectly combined with many perennial herbs, their spectacular flowers create bright spots on a green lawn, attract attention and give the garden a unique place. In landscape design, these flowers are used as a decorative addition to shrubs and small groups of trees.
The Lily family also includes tulips, which are favorite ornamental plants of flower growers. They are grown everywhere, and the number of varieties can not be counted, so they are combined into classes. Holland has a special relation to tulips, where they are engaged in the cultivation and distribution of new varieties. At present, terry and fringed flowers of tulips with petals from white to blue, as well as multi-colored, are bred. They are unpretentious, so they were able to gain such popularity.
Also included in the Liliaceae are such genera as Hyacinth, Goose, Kandyk, Scilla, Grouse, Chemeritsa, Trillium and some others. Many plants have not only decorative significance, but are also used in pharmaceuticals and traditional medicine to produce many drugs.