Herbs perennial. Rhizomes cylindric to subcylindric or tubers globose to broadly ellipsoid-globose. Leaves radical; petiole erect, base sheathing; leaf blade entire to deeply lobed at margin. Flowering stem often a long scape. Inflorescences umbels; involucral bracts (2--)4--6(--12), in 2 whorls, elongate or broad. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic; bracteoles linear, narrower than bracts. Perianth tube adnate to ovary, 6-lobed; lobes in 2 whorls, petaloid. Stamens 6, inserted on perianth lobes; filaments short, apex hooded or spatulate; anthers 2-loculed, introrse. Ovary inferior; ovules many, anatropous. Style short; stigma 3-lobed, usually petaloid, curved over style. Fruit a berry or rarely a 3-valved capsule. Seeds many; endosperm abundant; embryo small.

Ling Ping-ping. 1985. Taccaceae. In: Pei Chien & Ting Chih-tsun, eds., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 16(1): 42--54.

Two genera and ca. 13 species: pantropical; two genera and six species (two endemic, one introduced) in China.

(Authors: Ding Zhizun (丁志遵 Ting Chih-tsun); Kai Larsen)