Page "Asparagales" Paragraph 71

The subfamily includes 59 genera and approximately 800 species from temperate and tropical regions worldwide.

They are herbaceous perennials with bulbs, and can be identified by their rather fleshy leaves, usually large and attractive flowers, with six stamens and an inferior ovary.

The flowers are solitary or, more frequently, arranged in umbellate inflorescences at the end of a stem ( scape ).