Several genera, notably Aloe, Asphodelus, Gasteria, Haworthia and Kniphofia are perhaps the best known of the family due to their use among plant collectors, botanists and horticulturists.

Lotsy (1911) placed a number of genera (Kniphofia, Notosceptrum, Chortolirion and Aloe) into a family, separate from Asphodelaceae, the Aloinaceae.

[3][4][8] The monophyletic group can be treated as the tribe Aloeae within the subfamily Asphodeloideae by those adopting the broad APG IV system circumscription of the Asphodelaceae.

[8] As of October 2017[update], Aloeae (or Alooideae s.s.) comprises Aloe, Aloiampelos, Aloidendron, Aristaloe, Astroloba, Gasteria, Gonialoe, Haworthia, Haworthiopsis, Kumara and Tulista.

[10] The genera within Alooideae have several morphological characters that can be distinguished in the field, namely the arrangement and type of leaf and inflorescence.

[citation needed] Evidence for monophyly of Aloeae is based on distinctive karyotype and characteristic leaf morphology.

Kniphofia is considered an outgroup of Aloeae since it has tubular flowers and a fusion of perianth segments, but it lacks succulent leaves.