Asphodelaceae

Asphodelaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Asparagales. In recent classifications such as APG IV, the family encompasses several genera and a diversity of species, with many members adapted to dry or hot environments. The group includes predominantly perennial herbs and succulent shrubs, often with fleshy leaves arranged in rosettes or scattered along stems.

Most Asphodelaceae species are native to Africa and the Middle East, with notable centers of diversity in southern Africa. They also occur in parts of Europe and Asia. A common characteristic is the presence of distinct inflorescences bearing numerous small flowers, frequently tubular or cup-shaped, and often arranged in racemes or panicles. Leaf textures range from soft to highly fleshy, and plant forms cover a spectrum from compact rosettes to taller, shrubby growth.

Notable and widely cultivated genera include Aloe (well known for species such as Aloe vera, used in traditional medicine and cosmetics), Asphodelus, Gasteria, Haworthia, Kniphofia (the red-hot poker), Bulbine, and Astroloba. These genera exhibit substantial diversity in habit, horticultural appeal, and ecological adaptation, contributing to their popularity in arid-land gardens and rockeries.

Taxonomy within Asphodelaceae has evolved with molecular studies, and some genera have shifted between families in earlier classifications. In the APG framework, the family is placed within Asparagales and commonly subdivided, with the subfamily Asphodeloideae hosting many of the well-known succulent genera.