have received sufficient chilling, the stem begins to elongate in warming weather. The basic chromosome number is twelve (n=12). Taxonomy Taxonomical division in sections follows the classical division of Comber, species acceptance follows the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, the taxonomy of section Pseudolirium is from the Flora of North America, the taxonomy of Section Liriotypus is given in consideration of Resetnik et al. 2007, the taxonomy of Chinese species (various sections) follows the Flora of China and the taxonomy of Section Sinomartagon follows Nishikawa et al. as does the taxonomy of Section Archelirion. The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, , considers Nomocharis a separate genus in its own right, however some authorities consider Nomocharis to be embedded within Lilium, rather than treat it as a separate genus. The Sinomartagon are divided in 3 paraphyletic groups, while the Leucolirion are divided in 2 paraphyletic groups. There are seven sections: Martagon Pseudolirium Liriotypus Archelirion Sinomartagon Leucolirion Daurolirion There are 111 species counted in this genus. For a full list of accepted species with their native ranges, see List of Lilium species. Some species formerly included within this genus have now been placed in other genera. These genera include Cardiocrinum, Notholirion, Nomocharis and Fritillaria. Etymology The botanic name Lilium is the Latin form and is a Linnaean name. The Latin name is derived from the Greek word leírion, generally assumed to refer to true, white lilies as exemplified by the Madonna lily. The word was borrowed from Coptic (dial. Fayyumic) , from standard , from Demotic , from Egyptian "flower". Meillet maintains that both the Egyptian and the Greek word are possible loans from an extinct, substratum language of the Eastern Mediterranean. , , was used by the Greeks, albeit for lilies of any color. The term "lily" has in the past been applied to numerous flowering plants, often with only superficial resemblance to the true lily, including water lily, fire lily, lily of the Nile, calla lily, trout lily, kaffir lily, cobra lily, lily of the valley, daylily, ginger lily, Amazon lily, leek lily, Peruvian lily, and others. All English translations of the Bible render the Hebrew shūshan, shōshan, shōshannā as "lily", but the "lily among the thorns" of Song of Solomon, for instance, may be the honeysuckle. Distribution and habitat The range of lilies in the Old World extends across much of Europe, across most of Asia to