| Convallarioideae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Convallaria majalis, thetype species of the Convallarioideae | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asparagaceae |
| Subfamily: | Convallarioideae Herb.[1] |
| Genera | |
See text | |
Convallarioideae is amonocot subfamily of thefamilyAsparagaceae. It used to be treated as a separate family,Ruscaceaes.l., but this family was merged into Asparagaceae in theAPG III system of 2009. Initially the nameNolinoideae was used, derived from thetypegenusNolina.[2] This name was supposed to have been published byBurnett in 1935. However, this has been shown to be an error, as Burnett based a subfamily on theSolanaceae genusNolana notNolina.[3]
The subfamily includes genera that had been placed in a range of different families, including Ruscaceaes.s., Nolinaceae, Dracaenaceae, Convallariaceae and Eriospermaceae. Like many groups oflilioid monocots, the genera included here were once included in a wide interpretation of the familyLiliaceae.[4]
In the 2009APG III system, the former family Ruscaceae was one of those sunk into a much broader family Asparagaceae. As a result, Chase and coauthors proposed a set of subfamilies for the Asparagaceae in 2009, including one they called Nolinoideae, supposedly published byBurnett in 1835 based on the genusNolina.[2] Many authors have subsequently used this name. However, in 2023, it was pointed out that Burnett actually published a subfamily Nolanoideae within the familySolanaceae, based on the genusNolana.[5][6][3] The earliest published and hence correct name for the subfamily thus becomes Convallarioideae, based on the genusConvallaria,[3] published byWilliam Herbert in 1837,[1] a conclusion supported by theAngiosperm Phylogeny Website as of August 2025[update].[7]
A possibly incomplete list of the genera included in the Convallarioideae (former Nolinoideae) is given below. The reference is to the source which places the genus in this subfamily. The genera included here have varied widely in their limits and assignment to families and subfamilies; some former family placements other than Convallarioideae (which will be found in the literature) are given below.[4][8][9]
| Genus | Source | Tribe[10] | Former family placement(s) other than Ruscaceae s.l. |
| AspidistraKer Gawl. (includingAntherolophusGagnep.,ColaniaGagnep.) | [2] | Convallarieae | Convallariaceae |
| BeaucarneaLem. | [9] | Nolineae | Dracaenaceae, Agavaceae |
| ComospermumRauschert | [2] | ? | Anthericaceae |
| ConvallariaL. | [2] | Convallarieae | Convallariaceae |
| DanaeMedik. | [2] | Rusceae | |
| DasylirionZucc. | [4] | Nolineae | Dracaenaceae |
| DisporopsisHance | [9] | Polygonateae | Convallariaceae |
| DracaenaVand. ex L. (includingSansevieriaThunb.) | [2] | Dracaeneae | Dracaenaceae, Agavaceae |
| EriospermumJacq. | [2] | Eriospermeae | Eriospermaceae |
| HeteropolygonatumM.N.Tamura & Ogisu | [9] | Polygonateae | Convallariaceae |
| LiriopeLour. | [4] | Ophiopogoneae | Convallariaceae |
| MaianthemumF.H.Wigg. (includingOligobotryaBaker,SmilacinaDesf.) | [2] | Polygonateae | Convallariaceae |
| NolinaMichx. | [2] | Nolineae | Dracaenaceae |
| OphiopogonKer Gawl. | [2] | Ophiopogoneae | Convallariaceae |
| PeliosanthesAndrews | [2] | Ophiopogoneae | Convallariaceae |
| PolygonatumMill. | [2] | Polygonateae | Convallariaceae |
| ReineckeaKunth | [9] | Convallarieae | Convallariaceae |
| RohdeaRoth (includingGonioscyphaBaker) | [9] | Convallarieae | Convallariaceae |
| RuscusL. | [2] | Rusceae | |
| SemeleKunth | [2] | Rusceae | |
| SpeiranthaBaker | [2] | Convallarieae | Convallariaceae |
| TheropogonMaxim. | [9] | ? | Convallariaceae |
| TupistraKer Gawl. (includingCampylandraBaker,TricalistraRidl.) | [2] | Convallarieae | Convallariaceae |
Calibanus was a former genus that was placed in this subfamily when the APG III system was introduced.[2][11] Both members of the genus have since been transferred to the genusBeaucarnea (also a member of the subfamily) after molecular phylogenetic research demonstrated a strong phylogenetic relationship with species ofBeaucarnea.[12][13]
