| MadSci Network: Botany |
According to the USDA Plants Database, Aloe vera is now in the Aloeaceae. The traditional Lily Family (Liliaceae) is a large family of about 340 genera that is considered to be polyphyletic, meaning not all genera have the same common ancestor. The goal in taxonomy is to have monophyletic families so many families are often spun off from the traditional Liliaceae by some botanists, including Agavaceae, Alliaceae, Aloeaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Asparagaceae, Haemodoraceae, Hypoxidaceae, Melanthiaceae, Smilacaceae and Trilliaceae. The modern Lily Family has been reduced to as few as 10 genera and 420 species. Other botanists prefer to retain the original Lily Family if only for tradition and convenience. So depending on what botanical authority you use, Aloe vera can be in either Liliaceae or Aloeaceae. Monocots (about 55,000 species) are considered a monophyletic group so it is a good starting place for further research. In fact there is a large Monocot Project to revise monocot taxonomy using modern DNA analysis and other methods. References USDA Plants Database Traditional Lily Family Overview Modern Lily Family Overview The Monocot Project Trilliaceae
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