Editing Liliales (section)

== Description ==

The Liliales are a diverse [[Order (biology)|order]] of predominantly [[perennial]] erect or twining [[herbaceous]] and [[vines|climbing]] plants. Climbers, such as the herbaceous ''[[Gloriosa (plant)|Gloriosa]]'' (Colchicaceae) and ''[[Bomarea]]'' (Alstroemeriaceae), are common in the Americas in [[temperate]] and [[tropical]] zones, while  most species of the subtropical and tropical genus ''[[Smilax]]'' (Smilacaceae) are herbaceous or woody climbers and comprise much of the vegetation within the Liliales range. They also include [[woody plants|woody]] [[shrubs]], which have fleshy [[plant stems|stems]] and underground [[storage organ|storage]] or [[perennating]] organs, mainly [[bulbous]] geophytes, sometimes [[rhizomatous]] or [[corm]]ous.{{sfn|Byng|2014|loc=p.&nbsp;61}} [[Leaves]] are elliptical and straplike with [[parallel venation]] or ovate with palmate veins and [[Reticulate venation|reticulate]] minor venation (Smilacaceae). In ''[[Alstroemeria]]'' and ''[[Bomarea]]'' (Alstroemeriaceae) the leaves are [[resupinate]] (twisted).{{sfn|Stevenson|Davis|Freudenstein|Hardy|2000}}{{sfn|Rudall et al|2000}}{{sfn|Traub|Kress|2016}}  
{{multiple image
| header    = Liliales
| align     = center
| image1    = Atlas de poche des plantes des champs, des prairies et des bois (PLATE 122) (6022597540).jpg
| caption1  = ''[[Colchicum autumnale]]'' (Colchicaceae)
| alt1      = Botanical illustration of Colchicum autumnale
| width1    = {{#expr: (150 * 379/599) round 0}}
| image2    = Tulipa humilis Lilliput bulbs.jpg
| caption2  = ''[[Tulipa humilis]]'' (Liliaceae):<br/>Bulbs
| alt2      = Bulbs of Tulipa humilis
| width2    = {{#expr: (150 * 799/599) round 0}}
}}
{{multiple image
| header    = Floral morphology
| align     = center
| image1    = Tulip Tulipa clusiana 'Lady Jane' Rock Ledge Flower 2000px.jpg
| caption1  = ''[[Tulipa clusiana]]'' (Liliaceae):<br/>Six undifferentiated [[tepals]]
| alt1      = Flower of Tulipa clusiana with six tepals
| width1    = {{#expr: (150 * 600/600) round 0}}
| image2    = Closeup of Stamen and stigma of Lilium 'Stargazer' (the 'Stargazer lily').jpg
| caption2  = ''[[Lilium]]'' (Liliaceae):<br/>[[Stigma (botany)|Stigma]], style, [[stamens]] (anthers, filaments) and [[tepals]]
| alt2      = Close up of sexual organs of a lily
| width2    ={{#expr: ( 150*800/ 400 ) round 0}}
| image3    = Anther dehiscence in Lilium.jpg
| caption3  = ''Lilium'':<br/>Extrorse [[anthers]]
| alt3      = Lily with outward opening anthers
| width3    ={{#expr: (150*  562/ 600 ) round 0}}
}}
The [[flowers]] are highly variable, ranging in size from the small green [[actinomorphic]] (radially symmetric) blooms of ''Smilax'' to the large showy ones found in ''[[Lilium]]'', ''[[Tulipa]]'' and ''[[Calochortus]]'' (Liliaceae) and ''[[Lapageria]]'' (Philesiaceae). [[Sepals]] and [[petals]] are undifferentiated from each other, and known as [[tepals]], forming a [[perianth]]. They are usually large and pointed and may be variegated in ''[[Fritillaria]]'' (Liliaceae). [[Nectaries]] may be perigonal (at base of tepals) but not septal (on [[Ovary (botany)|ovaries]]). Perigonal nectaries may be a simple secretory epidermal region at the tepal bases (''[[Lapageria]]'') or small, depressed regions fringed with hairs, often with glandular surface protuberances, at the bases of the inner tepals (''[[Calochortus]]''), while in ''[[Tricyrtis]]'' the tepals become bulbous or spur-like at the base, forming a nectar-containing sac. Ovaries may be inferior or superior, the style often long and [[Stigma (botany)|stigma]] capitate (pin headed). In a number of taxa there are three separate styles, particularly  some Melanthiaceae ''s.l.'' (e.g. ''[[Helonias]]'', ''[[Trillium]]'', ''[[Veratrum]]'') and ''[[Chionographis]]''. The outer [[integument]] epidermis of the [[seed coat]] is cellular, and the [[phytomelanin]] pigment is lacking. The inner integument is also cellular and these features are [[plesiomorphic]].{{sfn|Stevenson|Davis|Freudenstein|Hardy|2000}}{{sfn|Rudall et al|2000}}{{sfn|Traub|Kress|2016}}

The Liliales are characterised by ([[synapomorphies]]) the presence of nectaries at the base of the tepals (perigonal nectaries) or [[stamen]] filaments (''[[Colchicum]]'', ''[[Androcymbium]]'') most taxa but the absence of septal nectaries,{{sfn|Kubitzki|Rudall|Chase|1998}} together with [[extrorse]] (outward opening) anthers. This distinguishes them from the septal nectaries and introrse anthers that are the features of most other [[monocots]].{{sfn|Vinnersten|Bremer|2001}}{{sfn|Rudall et al|2000}} Exceptions are some Melanthiaceae in which nectaries are absent or septal and anthers that are introrse (dehiscence directed inwards) in Campynemataceae, Colchicaceae, and some Alstroemeriaceae, Melanthiaceae, Philesiaceae, Ripogonaceae and Smilacaceae. Tepals are largely three-traced in net-veined taxa of Liliales (e.g. ''[[Clintonia]]'', ''[[Disporum]]''), distinguishing them from the single-traced Asparagales, and is associated with the presence of tepal nectaries, presumably to supply them. The presence of separate styles is also a distinguishing feature from Asparagales, where it is rare. [[Phytomelan]] is completely absent in Liliales seed coats, unlike Asparagales, which nearly all contain it.{{sfn|Givnish et al|2016}}{{sfn|Rudall et al|2000}}

=== Phytochemistry ===

The stems contain [[fructan]]s, the plants also contain [[chelidonic acid]], [[saponins]], while some species contain [[velamen]]. The [[epicuticular wax]] is of the Convallaria type, consisting of parallel orientated platelets.{{sfn|Kubitzki|Huber|1998|loc=p.&nbsp;20}}

=== Genome ===

The order includes [[taxa]] with some of the largest [[genomes]] among [[Angiosperms]],{{sfn|Soltis et al|2003}} particularly [[Melanthiaceae]], [[Alstroemeriaceae]] and [[Liliaceae]].{{sfn|Leitch et al|2005}}