The 2 orders, 19 families, and ca. 25,000 species of the Liliidae can be roughly characterized as large-flowered or 'showy' monocots that tend to show petaloid sepals, i.e., the perianth is usually made up of 6 non-green, petal-like tepals. Again, as is the case with elements of the class Liliopsida in general, the Cronquist system differs with regard to alignments of these taxa relative to other current systems of flowering plant classification.

Synoptical Arrangement of the Liliidae

1.  Seeds of 'ordinary' size and structure (usually with endosperm and a well developed embryo), plants usually not mycotrophic (associated with fungi), flower often actinomorphic, ovary inferior or superior.................... Liliales

2.  Seeds very numerous and minute (embroy undifferentiated and endosperm lacking), plants mycotrophic and somethings without chlorophyll, flower strongly zygomorphic, ovary inferior..................... Orchidales

Liliales
    Liliaceae
    Iridaceae
Orchidales
    Orchidaceae