Aloe Family

Asphodelaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Asparagales. This family is accepted by most taxonomists, but the circumscription has varied widely. In its current circumscription in the APG IV system, it includes about 40 genera and 900 known species. The type genus is Asphodelus.

The family has a wide, but scattered, distribution throughout the tropics and temperate zones; for example, Xanthorrhoea is endemic to Australia, while Aloe occurs in Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Many of the family's genera are cultivated as ornamental plants, with some being highly sought-after, such as Haworthia and Gasteria, as well as their intergeneric hybrids with Aloe (× Gasteraloe, × Gastorthia, × Haworthaloe, etc.), while a few are grown commercially for cut flowers. Two species of Aloe, A. vera and A. maculata, are grown for their leaf sap, which contains digestive enzymes, and has medicinal and cosmetic applications.