Compositae
Compositae or Asteraceae is a large and widespread family of flowering plants. The family currently has 32,913 accepted species names, in 1,911 genera (list) and 13 subfamilies. In terms of numbers of species, the Asteraceae are rivaled only by the Orchidaceae. (Which of the two families is actually larger is unclear, owing to uncertainty about exactly how many species exist in each family). Many members have composite flowers in the form of flower heads (capitula or pseudanthia) surrounded by involucral bracts. When viewed from a distance, each capitulum may have the appearance of being a single flower. The name "Asteraceae" comes from Aster, the most prominent genus in the family, that derives from the Greek ἀστήρ meaning star, and is connected with its inflorescence star form. "Compositae" is an older but still valid name which refers to the fact that the family is one of the few angiosperm ones to have composite flowers.
Description[edit | edit source]
Members of the Asteraceae are mostly herbaceous plants, but some shrubs, vines and trees (such as Lachanodes arborea) do exist. They are generally easy to distinguish from other plants, mainly because of their characteristic inflorescence and other shared characteristics.
Distribution[edit | edit source]
The Asteraceae family is distributed all over the world. It is most common in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and South America.
Economic importance[edit | edit source]
The Asteraceae family has significant economic importance. Sunflower, lettuce, artichoke, endive, chicory, perennial sow thistle, dandelion, ragwort, and many others are food crops. Guayule is a source of hypoallergenic latex.
Taxonomy[edit | edit source]
The family Asteraceae was first described by the French botanist Paul Hermann in 1690. The number of species in the Asteraceae is nearly twice that of the second largest family, the Orchidaceae.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
External links[edit | edit source]
- The Tree of Life Web Project - Asteraceae
- Compositae at The Angiosperm Phylogeny Website
- Flora of North America - Asteraceae
- Flora of China - Asteraceae
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
