Hyacinthaceae

Herbs with bulbs. Leaves in a basal rosette from the apex of the bulb (in Bowiea and Schizobasis, leaves 0 or much reduced), with or without spots, sometimes papillose or hairy. Inflorescence a raceme or spike on a leafless peduncle (but in Bowiea and Schizobasis much-branched and complex). Flowers greenish to white or yellowish, purplish to purple or blue, often with a green or dark midrib. Perianth segments 6, free or fused into a tube. Ovary superior, 3-locular, with 1-many ovules per loculus. Fruit a loculicidal capsule. Seeds black, sometimes winged.

Comment: The genera included by us under Hyacinthaceae are nowadays often placed under Asparagaceae. However, we have followed the more traditional treatment for the time being.

Worldwide: 41 genera and 770 species, ± cosmopolitan, but especially Mediterranean region and South Africa.