Description:

• Erect or climbing geophytes; with subterranean, starch-rich corms to tubers, sometimes stoloniferous
• Leaves few and basally concentrated, or several on short leafy stem, alternate, distichous, verticillate or crowded, or many and scattered on a long, sometimes branched stem; dorsiventral, linear or lanceolate, sessile, sheathing at base, parallel-veined, rarely ending in tendril
• Stems usually stiff and erect, sometimes climbing, ending in racemes or rarely in a single flower
• Flowers regular, bisexual, 3-merous, hypogynous
• Perianth 3 + 3, similar, free or basally connate, with basal nectaries
• Stamens 3 + 3; filaments free, narrow or basally broad, glabrous; anthers 2-thecous, dehiscing longitudinally, extrorse or introrse
• Ovary superior, 3-locular; with axile placentas; ovules several to many; styles 3, or 1 with 3 stigmatic branches
• Fruit usually a septicidal capsule
• Seeds globose or ovoid

Nomenclature:

• Colchicaceae
  • Dahlgren et al.: 226 (1985)
  • Thulin: 67 (1995)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Genera 17, species 170, widespread in Old World
• Southern Africa: Genera 12, species ± 67
  • Chemically characterised by the absence of steroidal saponins and oxalate raphides, but chelidonic acid and alkaloid bases (e.g. colchicine) are present in most

References:

• DAHLGREN, R.M.T., CLIFFORD, H.T. & YEO, P.F. 1985. The families of the monocotyledons. Springer-Verlag, Berlin
• THULIN, M. 1995. Colchicaceae. Flora of Somalia 4

Resources:

• Key to Colchicaceae genera

• Colchicaceae genera: