Herbs, often succulent, small to medium sized or sometimes large trees with leaves arranged in terminal rosettes. Roots terete, slightly succulent, sometimes fusiform. Leaves lanceolate, spiral or distichous, linear, acuminate, terete, often succulent. Inflorescence a raceme or panicle, pedunculate; flowers actinomorphic or rarely zygomorphic, hypogynous, tepals 3 +3, red, orange, yellow or white, gamo or polyphyllous. Stamens 3 + 3, filaments free; anthers dorsifixed, rarely basifixed (Eremurus). Pistil tricarpellary, syncarpous, trilocular, axile placentation, 2-many ovules per locule, septal nectaries present; style distinct, stigma minute. Fruit a dehiscent capsule, rarely berry-like. Seeds completely covered by aril, sometimes winged, endosperm present.