Doryanthes is the sole genus in the flowering plant family Doryanthaceae.

They enjoy a warm environment, good soil, and much water during the warmest time of the year.

[3] The genus Doryanthes was first described in 1802 by the Portuguese priest, statesman, philosopher and botanist José Francisco Corrêa da Serra (1751–1823), a close friend of Joseph Banks.

D. excelsa or gymea lily, which is endemic to southern Sydney and the Illawarra, inspired the naming of Doryanthes, the journal of history and heritage for Southern Sydney founded by Dharawal historian Les Bursill.

The family Doryanthaceae, placed in the order Asparagales of the monocots, has only recently been recognized by taxonomists.