Leaves are linear to lanceolate or oblong, rather broad in relation to other monocots, entire, narrowing towards the base, usually resupinated, that is, twisted in such a way that the upper surface during its development becomes lower at maturity.

The inflorescences are terminal and umbelliform, forming helical cymes, usually surrounded by a bract involucre, rarely reduced to a single flower.

The color of the flowers can be yellow, red, pink, orange or green, depending on the species and variety; generally with dark spots.

The seeds are round or spheroidal, with the embryo small in relation to the endosperm, at maturity with dry tegument in Alstroemeria and sarcotesta in Bomarea.

[7] Alstroemeria is strictly South American, with species occurring from Venezuela (3°N) to Tierra del Fuego in Argentina (53°S).

[7] Alstroemerieae is related to Luzuriageae (a tribe with 2 genera and 5 species), native to South America (Luzuriaga) and Australia and New Zealand (Drymophila).

[4][11] The complete cladogram is given below (APW,[4] updated to January 2009, based mainly on the analysis of Fay et al. 2006,[12] the relationships suggested by the rbcL study of Janssen and Bremer 2004[13] are quite different, but did not include Petermanniaceae and Corsiaceae): Corsiaceae Campynemataceae Melanthiaceae Petermanniaceae Colchicaceae Luzuriagaceae Alstroemeriaceae Rhipogonaceae Philesiaceae Smilacaceae Liliaceae Several revisions of Alstroemeriaceae list four genera within the family: Alstroemeria, Bomarea, Schickendantzia and Leontochir,[14] with the addition of the genus Taltalia in 1998.

[15] However, the monotypic genera Schikendantzia and Taltalia have been included within Alstroemeria on the basis of detailed morphological, anatomical and chromosomal studies.

The vast majority of modern cultivars, whose breeding was initiated at the Dutch company Van Straaveren in Aslsmeer, are intended to supply the cut flower market.

As the decades passed, many other species were added to these initial three, such as: A. pelegrina alba, A. angutifolia, A. diluta, A. hookeri, A. kingii, A. magenta, A. magnifica, A. pulchra, A. revoluta, and A.