AMARYLLIDACEAE
Morphological description
Herbs with bulbs or rhizomes; exstipulate.
Leaves simple, crowded, entire, nerves parallel.
Inflorescence
Inflorescence usually compound umbelliform.
Flowers
Flowers bisexual, 3-merous, tepals in 2 rows of 3, ovary inferior; stamens 6, free.
Different from: Liliaceae s.l.: ovary superior. - Iridaceae: leaves distichous.
Distribution: The family worldwide. In Malesia 18 genera, of which only 5 with native species; lowland rain forest, secondary forest, some in monsoonal forest.
Notes: Ornamental plants: Hippeastrum*, Proiphys.
Literature: D. J.L. Geerinck, Fl. Males. I, 11 (1993) 353-373.
Spot characters (Van Balgooy): Compact inflorescence: e.g. Agapanthus, Haemanthus – Stamens opposite petals: all Amaryllidaceae – Inferior ovary: all taxa – Trilocular capsules: all taxa – Winged seeds: some taxa e.g. Agapanthus.
Illustrations: Fig. 14. Proiphys amboinensis (L.) Herbert (Amaryllidaceae). Leaf and enlarged flower; on the right a leaf of Proiphys alba (R. Br.) Mabberley. Reproduced from Flora Malesiana I, 11 (1993) 365, fig. 4.
image in PhytoImages for Amaryllidaceae