Plant key seen beneath reptile house (8)
I believe the answer is:
asphodel
'plant' is the definition.
(type of flower)
'key seen beneath reptile house' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'key' could be 'e' (musical key) and 'e' is found in the answer.
'reptile' could be 'asp' (asp is a kind of reptile) and 'asp' is present in the answer.
'house' could be 'ho' (abbreviation for house) and 'ho' is found within the answer.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for asphodel that I've seen before include "Mediterranean plant" , "Lily-like plant, the flower of death to ancient Greeks" , "Lad hopes (anag) - flower" , "liliaceous plant" , "blooms from Elysian fields" .)