Editing Liliaceae (section)

=== Evolution and biogeography ===
The development of a phylogenetic approach to taxonomy suggested the Liliales formed some of the earliest monocots.<ref name=Bessey/> Molecular analysis indicates that divergence amongst the Liliales probably occurred around 82 million years ago. The closest [[Sister clade|sister family]] to the Liliaceae are the [[Smilacaceae]] with the Liliaceae separating 52 million years ago. Liliaceae thus arose during the late ([[Maastrichtian]]) [[Late Cretaceous|Cretaceous]] to early ([[Paleocene]]) [[Paleogene]] periods.<ref name="Leitch et al 2007"/> Major evolutionary [[clades]] include the [[Lilieae]] (''[[Lilium]], [[Fritillaria]], [[Nomocharis]], [[Cardiocrinum]], [[Notholirion]]'') from the [[Himalayas]] about 12&nbsp;mya and the [[Tulipeae]] (''[[Erythronium]]'', ''[[Tulipa]]'', ''[[Gagea]]'') from [[East Asia]] at about the same time. The [[Medeoleae]] (''Clintonia'' and ''Medeola'') may have appeared in North America but were subsequently dispersed, as may have the [[Streptopoideae]] and [[Calochortoideae]].<ref name="Patterson 2002"/><ref name=Wikstrom/><ref name="Vinnersten and Bremer 2001"/><ref name=Kamenetsky/> Liliaceae [[fossils]] have been dated to the Paleogene<ref name=Stillwell/> and Cretaceous<ref name=Goin/> eras in the [[Antarctic]].

The Liliaceae probably arose as [[shade plant]]s, with subsequent evolution to open areas including [[deciduous forest]] in the more open autumnal period, but then a return of some species (e.g. ''[[Cardiocrinum]]''). This was accompanied by a shift from [[rhizomes]] to [[bulb]]s, to more showy flowers, the production of capsular fruit and narrower parallel-veined leaves. Again, some reversal to the broader reticulate-veined leaves occurred (e.g. ''Cardiocrinum'').<ref name="Patterson 2002"/>