Lilies are tall perennials ranging in height from 2–6 ft (60–180 cm).

They form naked or tunicless scaly

underground bulbs which are their organs of perennation. In some North American species the base of the bulb
develops into rhizomes, on which numerous small bulbs are found. Some species develop stolons. Most bulbs
are buried deep in the ground, but a few species form bulbs near the soil surface. Many species form stem-
roots. With these, the bulb grows naturally at some depth in the soil, and each year the new stem puts
out adventitious roots above the bulb as it emerges from the soil. These roots are in addition to the basal roots
that develop at the base of the bulb.

Lily, petal

The flowers are large, often fragrant, and come in a wide range of colors including whites, yellows, oranges,
pinks, reds and purples. Markings include spots and brush strokes. The plants are late spring- or summer-
flowering. Flowers are borne in racemes or umbels at the tip of the stem, with six tepals spreading or reflexed,
to give flowers varying from funnel shape to a "Turk's cap". The tepals are free from each other, and bear
a nectary at the base of each flower. The ovary is 'superior', borne above the point of attachment of
the anthers. The fruit is a three-celled capsule.[3]

stamen of lilium

Seeds ripen in late summer. They exhibit varying and sometimes complex germination patterns, many adapted
to cool temperate climates.
Naturally most cool temperate species are deciduous and dormant in winter in their native environment. But a
few species which distribute in hot summer and mild winter area (Lilium candidum, Lilium catesbaei, Lilium
longiflorum) lose leaves and remain relatively short dormant in Summer or Autumn, sprout from Autumn to
winter, forming dwarf stem bearing a basal rosette of leaves until, after they have received sufficient chilling,
the stem begins to elongate in warming weather.

Lilium candidum seeds

The basic chromosome number is twelve (n=12).[4]

Taxonomy[edit]
Taxonomical division in sections follows the classical division of Comber,[5] species acceptance follows
the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families,[6]the taxonomy of section Pseudolirium is from the Flora of
North America,[7] the taxonomy of Section Liriotypus is given in consideration of Resetnik et al. 2007,[8] the
taxonomy of Chinese species (various sections) follows the Flora of China[9] and the taxonomy of
Section Sinomartagon follows Nishikawa et al.[10] as does the taxonomy of Section Archelirion.[11]
The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, as of January 2014, considers Nomocharis a separate genus
in its own right,[12] however some authorities consider Nomocharis to be embedded within Lilium, rather than
treat it as a separate genus.[13][14]
There are seven sections: