Single -- Daylily flowers that have three petals, three sepals, six stamens and one pistil (comprised of three carpels) are known as "single" daylilies. A single daylily flower may occasionally have fewer or more (see "polymerous") parts per whorl. Also see "monocot", "double".

An example of a 'single' bloom.

Photo: Pat Lovelend, used with permission.

Double -- Double daylilies, like single daylilies, come in different forms. 'Hose-in-Hose' doubles have extra whorls (layers) of petals so that there appears to be a flower within a flower. 'Peony type' doubles have petaloid (petal-like) stamens inside the normal petal whorl. Carpels may also be petaloid.

Photos by Tim Fehr, used with permission. Cultivars: Left, CONDILLA (Grooms 1977) a hose-in-hose double. Right, BETTY WOODS (Kirchhoff,1980) a peony type double.

Spider -- A flower whose petals have a length-to-width ratio of at least 4 to 1 (i.e., 4:1). Length is measured with the segment fully extended. Width measurement is taken as the flower grows naturally. (Older literature may designate "Spiders" as having a ratio of 5:1, and "Spider Variants" as having a ratio of 4:1. AHS merged the two classes into the one spider class in 2003.)

Photo: Mary Anne Leisen. Used with permission. Cultivar: CAT'S CRADLE

Unusual Form -- A class of daylilies based exclusively on the shapes of the petals or sepals. These shapes include Crispate (pinched, twisted, or quilled), Cascade, and Spatulate. One or more of these shapes must be displayed on at least 3 petals or 3 sepals.

Crispate:

Pinching - Floral segments with sharp folds giving a pinched or folded effect.


Twisting - Floral segments which present a corkscrew or pinwheel effect.


Quilling - Floral segments turn upon themselves along their length to form a tubular shape.


Cascade:

Cascading/Curling - Narrow floral segments with pronounced curling or cascading, which revolve upon themselves in the manner of a wood shaving.


Spatulate

Spatulate - Floral segments markedly wider at the end like a kitchen spatula.
In the above drawings, the far right illustrations are by Kathleen Schuller, second from the right are by Marc King.

Polymerous -- Polymerous is an adjective used to designate a daylily with more than the normal number of segments in each floral whorl, i.e., more than the normal three sepals (usually four or five) in the outer whorl and more than three petals (usually the same number as sepals) in the inner whorl.

Examples: left, a 4x4 polymerous bloom, on right, the rarer 5x5 polymerous bloom. Photos by Melanie Mason, used with permission.

Multiform:

This term is used where the daylily in question has been registered correctly as exhibiting 2 or more of the forms spider, unusual form, polymerous, or double." An example of a multiform is a daylily that is both a spider and an unusual form, or a polymerous double, etc, but a single spider, etc. is not a multi-form.

Trickster (Tankesley-Clarke, 2004) UFo Crispate-Cascade & Double 98%	Firefly Frenzy (Joiner-J. 2002) UFo Crispate & Double 98%

Sculpted
A term used to describe three-dimensional structural features involving or emanating from the throat, midrib or elsewhere on the petal surfaces. Sculpted forms belong to one of three different groups: Pleated, Cristate and Relief.

These form characteristics are collected on the current registration form but are not currently recognized for exhibition purposes.

Other Descriptive Terms (Sub-forms):

Other terms used to describe flower shapes, such as "circular", "flat", "informal" "recurved", "star", "triangular", and "trumpet" are called "sub-forms". (See Judging Daylilies, pp. 37-Circular -- When viewed from the front of a bloom, the flower appears round. Segments tend to be short, wide and stubby, and generally overlap, giving a full appearance.
See also: Recurved


Photo by Tim Fehr, uesd with permission. Cultivar: CUSTARD CANDY (Stamile)


Flat -- When viewed from the side of a bloom, flowers are perfectly flat except for the concave throat.

Photo by Rebecca Board, used with permission.

Informal -- When viewed from front of bloom, flower segments have no definable shape. Segment placement may be irregular, widely spaced or floppy.

Recurved -- When viewed from the side of a bloom, flower segments flare, but the ends of some segments roll back or tuck under. When the sepals are all recurved, and the petals are not, the result is a triangular form, when both sepals and petals recurve, the result is often the round form.

When viewed from the side you can see that both the petals and sepals roll back showing the recurved form. Below is the same plant taken front on.

Photos: Tim Fehr, used with permission. Cultivar: Sir Francis Drake (Stamile)

Star -- When viewed from front of bloom, flower segments tend to be long and pointed. There is space between the segments, and the shape looks like a three-pointed or six pointed star.

Photo by Brian Mahieu, used with permission. Seedling: HOOD COLLEGE x H. Citrina

Triangular -- When viewed from the front of the bloom, the flower segments form a triangle. The sepals generally recurve.

Photo by Tim Fehr, used with permission: Cultivar: Barbara Mitchell

Trumpet -- When viewed from side of bloom, flower form resembles a true lily. Segments rise from throat in an upward fashion with little flare.

Photo by Brian Mahieu, used with permission.