Perennial, rarely annual, glabrous, rarely pubescent herbs with rhizomes, corms and bulbs. Leaves often crowded at base of stem, mostly narrow-linear, flattened at sides, sheathing and equitant at base. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic to completely zygomorphic, in spikes, racemes or panicles, sometimes solitary, enclosed 1-several within 2 spathe-valves consisting of a bract and more membranous bracteole. Perianth petaloid, ± marcescent; segments 6, connate basally into tube or occasionally free, ± similar or 3 outer different in shape, size or colour from inner. Stamens 3, symmetrically placed in actinomorphic flowers, slightly irregularly placed, asymmetric, in zygomorphic flowers; filaments free or partly connate; anther 2-locular, opening extrorsely or laterally by longitudinal slits. Ovary inferior, usually 3-locular with axile placentae; style 3-lobed in upper part, branches entire to deeply lobed, sometimes winged and petaloid, stigmatose at the top or within. Capsules loculicidally dehiscent. Seeds few to many. Generally distributed, though predominantly a S. African family, including some 70 genera.

Fls bisexual, actinomorphic to completely zygomorphic, us. in racemes or panicles, sts solitary. Per. petaloid, ± marcescent. Tepals 6, connate basally into tube or occ. free, subequal or the 3 outer different from the inner. Stamens 3, opp. outer tepals; filaments free or partly connate; anther 2-locular, opening extrorsely or laterally by longitudinal slits. Ovary inferior, us. 3-locular with axile placentae; style 3-lobed in upper part, branches entire to deeply lobed, sts winged and petaloid, stigmatose at the top or within; ovules us. ∞, anatropous. Capsule loculicidally dehiscent. Seed with cop. endosperm. Perennial herbs rooting from rhizomes, corms or bulbs. Lvs often crowded at base of stem, mostly narrow-linear, flattened at sides, sheathing and equitant at base. Generally distributed, including some 70 genera.