TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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Jepson Interchange (more information) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Perennial to trees, from membranous bulb, fibrous corm, scaly rhizome, or erect caudex
Stem generally underground
Leaves generally basal, often withering early, alternate, generally ± linear
Inflorescence various, generally bracted
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial; perianth often showy, segments generally 6 in two petal-like whorls (outer sometimes sepal-like), free or fused at base; stamens 6 (or 3 + generally 3 ± petal-like staminodes), filaments sometimes attached to perianth or fused into a tube or crown; ovary superior or inferior, chambers 3, placentas generally axile, style generally 1, stigmas generally 3
Fruit: generally capsule, loculicidal or septicidal (berry or nut)
Genera in family: ± 300 genera, 4600 species: especially ± dry temp and subtropical; many cultivated for ornamental or food;some TOXIC . Here includes genera sometimes treated in Agavaceae, Amaryllidaceae, and other families.
Perennial from spheric, fibrous-coated corm; cormlets generally sessile
Leaves basal, 25, narrowly lanceolate, generally keeled, entire, glabrous, sometimes withered by flower
Inflorescence umbel- or raceme-like, generally dense (pedicels < flower); axis generally curved to twining, cylindric; bracts 24, ± papery
Flower: perianth tube cylindric to bell-shaped, lobes 6 in 2 petal-like whorls; staminodes generally 0 (stamen-like in 1 sp.); stamens 3 (6 in 1 sp.), filaments fused to perianth and into a crown-like tube, free filaments generally ± 0, anthers attached at base; style 1, stigma 3-lobed
Fruit: capsule, generally not stalked, generally ovoid, 3-angled, loculicidal
Seeds sharply angled, black
Chromosomes: n=9
Species in genus: 5 species: w US, especially n CA
Etymology: (Greek: toothed crown, from stamen appendages)
Reference: [Keator 1992 Four Seasons 9:2439]