Herbs, perennial or rarely annual, rhizomatous, often stoloniferous; sap often red or orange. Stems simple. Leaves mostly basal, distichous, irislike; blade linear, sheathing proximally, folded lengthwise distally, folded portions becoming fused. Inflorescences terminal, cymose or corymbose, many-branched, many-flowered, loose or condensed. Flowers: tepals persistent, 6 in 2 whorls of 3, distinct above level of insertion on ovary, ± equal, aestivation valvate; stamens 3 or 6; filaments elongate; anthers basifixed, 2-locular, often basally sagittate, dehiscence introrse by longitudinal slits; pistil 1, compound, 3-carpellate; ovary inferior or half-inferior to nearly superior, 3-locular with axile placentae, or 1-locular distally with parietal placentae and 3-locular proximally with axile placentae; ovules 1, 3–6, or numerous in each locule, arranged in vertical rows or around margin of peltate placenta, orthotropous or anatropous; style 1, undivided, elongate; stigma 1, terminal, very small. Fruits capsular, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds discoid and peltate, or elongate and variously curved; endosperm present.
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Perennial herbs, rhizomatous, bulbous or tuberous. Leaves mainly basal, equitant, with sheathing base and unifacial lamina; stem leaves smaller or absent. Inflorescence a panicle, raceme, cyme, or cymose umbel, often a number of cymes arranged racemosely, occasionally flowers solitary. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, conspicuously hairy or glabrous. Perianth of 6 segments in 1 or 2 whorls, free or partly connate, the tube (when present) short to long, straight or curved. Stamens 3 or 6, when 3 opposite inner perianth segments; filaments free or adnate to perianth tube; anthers basifixed or dorsifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovary inferior, half-inferior or (not in Australia) superior, 3-locular (obscurely in Phlebocarya ); ovules 1 to many per locule; style slender or stout. Fruit a loculicidal or (in Macropidia ) septifragal capsule or (in Phlebocarya ) nut-like. Seeds with copious endosperm.
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