Plants perennial, herbaceous. Root-stock short or elongated with adventitious roots; tubiferous or without tubers. Leaves linear to narrowly lanceolate, usually radical. Sap often orange coloured. Scape leafless or leafy with bisexual flowers in terminal racemes or spikes. Perianth segments 6; stamens 6; ovary semi-inferior or superior, 3-locular with 1 or more ovules in each locule; fruit dehiscent or in-dehiscent.