Family: Colchicaceae — colchicum family
Species in the Colchicaceae are perennial herbs that grow from a corm or a rhizome. The leaves may grow directly from the ground, or alternately along a stem. The leaves have parallel veins running lengthwise along the blade and untoothed (entire) margins. The flowers have both pollen-bearing and ovule-bearing parts, are 3-parted and are arranged singly at the end of a branch or grow directly out of the ground. There are 6 tepals, which may or may not be fused together at the base and are arranged in 2 whorls of 3. There are 6 stamens. There are 1 or 3 styles. The fruit is a capsule that releases its seeds when ripe. Species in this family were formerly considered to be part of the Liliaceae.
This family’s genera in New England
Visit this family in the Dichotomous Key