ABSTRACT
Lilium is a monocotyledonous genus of Liliaceae containing many species and cultivars with high ornamental values. Lilies are in high demand in the fl oriculture industry both as cut and potted fl owers and are ranked amongst the top 10 fl owers in the export market. The turnover of lilies in FloraHolland fl ower auction in 2008 was 159 million Euros with a ranking of 4th among cut fl owers (FloraHolland Key fi gures 2008). The genus Lilium comprises more than 100 species (McRae 1998) and is classifi ed into six sections (Smyth et al. 1989). Lilies are indigenous to Europe (c. 12 species), Asia (50-60 species) and North America (c. 24 species), while some are native to the tropics at higher elevations (Beattie and Whittle 1993). The three commercially important divisions of lily include Easter lily (L. longifl orum), Asiatic hybrid and Oriental hybrid.
