Family Lily: distinctive features and the most famous representatives

Family Lilynaya unites about 1300 species, represented mainly by herbaceous onion 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, the lily were a very large taxonomic unit, almost all plants with six perianth leaves and six stamens belonged to this family. Lily-of-the-valley lilies of the valley, aspidistra, chlorophytum, asparagus, aloe, yucca, agave, onion were considered lily-of-the-valley. But now these plants are excluded, and only a few genera are included in the family.

The main feature, which formed the membership of the family, was the fact of the presence of a real bulb. The leaves of the lily are never arranged in two rows, as for example on 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 of the brush type , in which each flower is in the sinus of its own leaf, and the upper ovary is clearly visible if you look at the flower from above.

Lily bulbs were evolutionarily formed as a method of survival of the species under adverse environmental conditions. For example, in arid or cold weather. Bulb - a modified shoot, it accumulates a large number of nutrients and water, so most of them are perennial, but there are some species with annual bulbs. The structure, appearance and features of the formation of bulbs of plants of the family are different. Leaves are simple, do not have stipules, with parallel venation, lanceolate or linear. Flower-bearing shoots are simple, without branches.

Not only herbs are included in the family of Liliaceae, their representatives are found among bushes and trees. Himalayan giant cardiocrynum, reaching a height of 4 meters, is considered the highest representative, and the smallest - the South African Litantus. But the most famous are lilies, among which are distinguished both wild-growing and cultural forms and varieties. Many gardeners are very fond of these plants for a strong pleasant aroma of flowers. Currently, a huge number of varieties of lilies, which have glorified the family Liliaceae. The flower of each of the cultivars differs in size and color. They are appreciated for the splendor of bushes, from them beautiful flower beds are created. And along the tracks are usually planted low-growing varieties. Lilies are perfectly combined with many perennial herbs, their spectacular flowers create bright spots on a green lawn, attract attention and give a uniqueness to the garden plot. In landscape design, these flowers are used as a decorative addition to shrubs and small groups of trees.

The family of Lilia also includes tulips, which are the 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 is especially concerned with tulips, where they are engaged in breeding and spreading new varieties. Currently, double and fringe flowers of tulips with petals from white to blue are shown, as well as multi-colored ones. They are unpretentious, so they were able to win such popularity.

Also to the lily include such genera as Hyacinth, Goose onion, Kandyk, Proleska, Ryabchik, Chemeritsa, Trillium and some others. Many plants have not only decorative meaning, but are also used in pharmaceuticals and folk medicine for obtaining many medications.