The Aspodelaceae or asphodel family is one like many other families that is under revision. Its main genus is Aloe, which was placed by Cronquist as a family with the lily, iris and agave families into order Liliales. In 1998 the Asphodelaceae was accepted as a family in its own right, but the 2003 APG revision made this taxa an optional segregate of the family Xanthorrhoeaceae in the order Asparagales. This is why aloes sometimes are listed in the Liliaceae, Agavaceae, Aloaceae or Asphodelaceae. The greatest diversity of  the putative Asphodelaceae is in South Africa with such genera as Aloe, Asphodelus (hence the family name), Gasteria, Haworthia, Bulbine, Kniphofia and others, and about 800 species. The leaves are mostly basal or subbasal, linear, parallel-veined and sometimes succulent. The perianth parts are in 3's and the fruit is a capsule. One genus is in New Zealand.