AMARYLLIDACEAE, the amaryllis family, a numerous group of monocotyledonous plants, closely allied to the lily family (Liliaceae). Familiar representatives are the daffodil, jonquil, snowdrop, snowflake and tuberose (qq.v.). The family comprises about 90 genera and 1,050 species, found chiefly in tropical and subtropical regions. Many are bulbous plants of arid lands, leafing only in spring or after rains. A large number bear handsome lily-like flowers, often popularly called lilies, as Amazon lily (Eucliaris grandiflora), spider lily (Hymenocallis sp., Pan cratium, sp.) and zephyr lily (Zephyranthes sp.) . Among the larger genera are Agave, Crinum, Hippeastrum, Hypoxis and Narcissus. Various species of Agave yield valuable fibres, as henequen, pita and sisal hemp ; the bulbs of some species are used in medicine, while those of the South African belladonna lily (Amaryllis Belladonna) and the buphane (Buphane disticha) are highly toxic, the latter furnishing a Kafir arrow-poison. Rep resentatives of more than 4o genera are grown as ornamental plants in greenhouses and gardens. Native plants of the family in the British Isles are the yellow daffodil (Narcissus Pseudo Narcissus), the snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) and the summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivate). In North America there are more than 4o native species ; these are found chiefly in the southern and the south-western United States and belong mostly to the genera Agave, Hymenocallis and Zephyranthes. Of those native to the eastern United States, the best known are the atamasco lily (Zephyranthes Atamasco), cultivated for its hand some flowers, and the yellow star-grass (Hypoxis hirsuta), the only representative extending northward into Canada. (See AGAVE ; AMARYLLIS ; HEMP ; HIPPEASTRUM ; LILIACEAE ; NAR CISSUS; SISAL HEMP.)