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In dividing the flora of the Blue Mountains into groups to facilitate identification and simplify presentation, it was natural to chose botanic families of orchids, irises and lilies that primarily belong to the Asparagales order.

It should be noted that the genus, family and order a plant belongs to is not static. As recently as 40 years ago the lily family (Liliaceae) had 300 genera and 4,500 species worldwide. It now has 15 genera and 700 species with no species indigenous to Australia.

The new families that were once in the Liliaceae family are presented below.

Including all species from the Asparagales order also introduces some strange bedfellows - like the Lomandra (mat-rushes) and Xanthorrhoea (grass trees) genera. But by and large this grouping works.

There's over 200 species of the Asparagales order in the Blue Mountains.

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There are about 1,000 species of Orchids (Orchidaceae family) in Australia and as many as 35,000 species worldwide - making it the world's largest flower family. Although Orchids vary greatly in form, colour and size, their flowers are composed of 6 segments.

The outer 3 segments are the sepals; and inner three segments are the petals.

The third petal becoming a lip or labellum.

There are well over 130 species of the Orchidaceae family in the Blue Mountains across 30 genera - but it is volatile as new species and species new to the area are being discovered, and species and genera are being reclassified. Hybrids also abound.

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The Iris family (Iridaceae) is represented throughout the world by freesias, gladiolis and irises. Saffron (Crocus sativus) is also a member of the Iris family.

There's some 20 species in the Blue Mountains, but with the exception of six Patersonia and Libertia species, all are introduced.

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Most of the Australian Lily species have been reclassified into a dozen or so other botanical families.

The more common families found in the Blue Mountains, and a "representative", are -

• Amaryllidaceae  (daffodils & onions)
• Asparagaceae  (asparagus & hyacinths)
• Asphodelaceae  (aloe vera & grass trees*)
• Blandfordiaceae (Christmas bells*)
• Boryaceae (Alania cunninghamii)
• Doryanthaceae  (Gymea Lily)
• Hypoxidaceae

* grass trees (Xanthorrhoea genus) and Christmas bells (Blandfordia genus) are endemic to Australia.

There's some 60 species of these families found in the Blue Mountains.

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Orchids - family Orchidaceae.

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In NSW, there are 4 species of the Patersonia genus, all are found in the Blue Mountains.

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There are three species in the Thelionema genus, two are found in the Blue Mountains.

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