Description: Tufted herbaceous perennials, roots fibrous, often with tubers, or fleshy; aerial stems condensed, leafy.
Leaves basal, linear, ± hooded-acute.
Inflorescence paniculate; scape simple or few-branched; flowers in discrete bracteate clusters; pedicels articulate near middle. Tepals free subequal, 3–5-veined, not twisting after flowering, persistent, white. Stamens 6, free, shorter than perianth; filaments slender, glabrous or minutely papillose; anthers introrse, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovules 2–several per loculus; style filiform; stigma capitate, minute.
Fruit a capsule, 3-lobed, lobes laterally compressed; seeds ± flat, brown or black.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 100–300 species South America, Africa, India, South-East Asia & Australia. Australia: 2 species (1 species native, 1 species naturalized), Qld, N.S.W., N.T., W.A.
Chlorophytum is sometimes placed in the family Asparagaceae.
Text by S. McCune & D.W. Hardin
Taxon concept:
| One species in NSW: Chlorophytum comosum |
|
