Clades:
Agapanthaceae;
Asparagales;
Liliidae;
Lilianae;
Angiospermae;
Plants.
IntroductionAsphodelaceae is a relatively new family. In Stebbins classification it is included in
Liliaceae.
The Apg3 system treated it as the family or subfamily in
Xanthorrhoeaceae broasly defined, together with
Hemerocallidaceae and the monotypic
Xanthorrhoeaceae stictly defined. In the Apg4 system the 3 Families are combined in one
Family, but the name was changed to
Asphodelaceae, in preference to
Xanthorrhoeaceae.
In the first verison of the
Plant theory Asphodelaceae was still named
Xanthorrhoeaceae and placed in the Asparageles in
Subphase 7. Aloe was then the only remedy known in homeopathy.
In the update the
Plant theory Asphodelaceae is placed in the
Liliales in
Subphase 4.
TaxonomyAsphodelaceae are not characterised by a distinct set of unique characters, but rather by a combination of characters, in common with most of the other asparagoid families. Thus, some authors believe that none are sufficient to distinguish
Asphodelaceae from other
Asparagales families.
AsphodeloideaeTaxonomy: in the
Apg3 classification it was treated as a separate family, the
Asphodelaceae.
Region: South Africa!!; Africa, central and western Europe, Mediterranean, Central Asia, Australia; Bulbinella in New Zealand. The greatest diversity occurs in.
Genera: Aloe, Asphodelus, Kniphofia
Use: ornamental; medicinal.
HemerocallidoideaeTaxonomy: in the
Apg3 classification it was treated as a separate family, the
Hemerocallidaceae.
Genera: Dianella, 20 species; Hemerocallis, 15 species; Caesia, 11species; in dispute were Johnsonia, Xeronema.
Region: tropical and temperate Eurasia and Australia; more broadly defined also New Zealand, Pacific islands, western South America,
Madagascar; with Caesia included also Southern Africa, Australia.
Use:
Hemerocallis fulva is an ornamental; Hemerocallis citrina has medicinal uses.
Phormium tenax is a source of fibre in New Zealand.
XanthorrhoeoideaeTaxonomy: in the
Apg3 classification it was treated as a separate family, the Xanthorhoeaceae.
Genus: 1, Xanthorrhoea, 30 species.
Region: Australia.