The Evolution of Lilies

Lily Lineage

• Fossils indicate that lilies are one of the oldest flowering plants, Science Daily explains flowering plants or "angiosperms" are dichotomous and contain an embryo and an endosperm that nourishes the embryo. After fertilization, the endosperm typically forms with three copies of chromosomes, so the endosperm is a "triploid." Gymnosperm seeds are "haploid," which means they contain one chromosome. More than 150 million years ago, angiosperms separated from gymnosperms -- seed bearing plants without flowers. This phenomenon baffled biologists for years. Kate Wong from "The Scientific American" states that a water lily's "diploid" endosperm potentially resembles an "ancestral condition" that may help explain the gap between flowering plants and seed plant ancestors.

Lily Species

• True lilies belong to the "Lilium" species, which include tiger lilies, Oriental lilies and Asian lilies. However, botanists have often placed flowering plants -- mostly monocots such as calla lilies, palm lilies and day lilies -- into the lily category that are not lilies. Ancient lilies share similar genetic make-up with modern lilies because lilies, which are actually monocots, produce three-parted flowers. This characteristic, along with symmetrical features and parallel veins, is also found in other flowering plant species, resulting in the misnaming of flowering plants as lilies.

Redefining Lilies

• Danish botanist Rolf Dahlgren helped revise the lily family or Liliaceaes in a work published in 1985. Dahlgren placed plants incorrectly named as lilies into different plant families, shrinking the true lily category. True lilies, or Liiaceaes, currently include Fritillaria (fritillaries) and Erythro niums (trout lilies). In the future, more plant species could be accepted into the lily category as botanists use advanced molecular technology to discover similarities among plant species.

Lilies Today

• True lilies have hardy stems and ornate flowers shaped like trumpets, bells or bowls, Anne M. Hancheck of the University of Minnesota Extension states. Their popularity stems from their colorful flowers, strong, attractive fragrances and ancient features that stayed with the lilies as they evolved. Even though several flowering plants such as water lilies, calla lilies and day lilies were misnamed, they remain popular in home gardens and lily ponds. Most people are unaware of their false identifications. People continue to use various "false" lilies in floral arrangements for weddings and celebrations worldwide.