3/6/10!1!Asteraceae - aster family!One of the most successful of all flowering plant families with over 1500 genera and 23,000 species.!Family has 3 specialized features important in this radiation:!1. Special inflorescence “head”!2. Pollen presentation!3. Diverse secondary chemistry!Asteraceae - aster family!The head or capitulum is a cluster of 1 or 2 distinct flower types. The family is also called “Compositae” referring to this clustering.!The head is surrounded by special bracts !called the involucre or phyllaries.!The involucre is important in the !classification and identification within the family.!Asteraceae - aster family!CA X CO (5) A (5) G (2)!__!Calyx is reduced to a pappus of scales, awns, bristles, or absent!Corolla has 5 petals but variously fused or zygomorphic!3/6/10!2!Asteraceae - aster family!Main floret types:! 1. Disk or tubular florets are actinomorphic!Asteraceae - aster family!Main floret types:! 1. Disk or tubular florets are actinomorphic! 2. Ray florets are usually 3 long fused petals + 2 short petals!Asteraceae - aster family!Main floret types:! 1. Disk or tubular florets are actinomorphic! 2. Ray florets are usually 3 long fused petals + 2 short petals! 3. Ligulate florets are 5 fused petals but split open!Asteraceae - aster family!The fruit is a one-seeded achene with the pappus serving as the fruit disperser (e.g., barbs for animal dispersal, hairs for wind dispersal) !CA X CO (5) A (5) G (2)!__!3/6/10!3!Asteraceae - aster family!These various types of florets come together to form a number of different looking heads. The 3 most important ones are:!Radiate head: disk or tubular florets in the center, ray florets along the edge (these usually pistillate only)!Discoid head: only disk or tubular florets comprise the entire head!Ligulate head: only ligulate florets comprise the entire head (note 5 lobed florets)!Aster - aster!Asteraceae - aster family!These various types of florets come together to form a number of different looking heads. The 3 most important ones are:!Radiate head: disk or tubular florets in the center, ray florets along the edge (these usually pistillate only)!Discoid head: only disk or tubular florets comprise the entire head!Ligulate head: only ligulate florets comprise the entire head (note 5 lobed florets)!Liatris - blazing star!Asteraceae - aster family!These various types of florets come together to form a number of different looking heads. The 3 most important ones are:!Radiate head: disk or tubular florets in the center, ray florets along the edge (these usually pistillate only)!Discoid head: only disk or tubular florets comprise the entire head!Ligulate head: only ligulate florets comprise the entire head (note 5 lobed florets)!Taraxacum - dandelion!Asteraceae - aster family!Tribe Lactuceae (Cichorieae)!Only have ligulate heads, milky latex in vegetative parts!Dandelion, goat’s-beard, chickory, hawkweed!Taraxacum - dandelion!3/6/10!4!Asteraceae - aster family!Cichorium intybus - chickory!Eurasian weed - totally naturalized!Asteraceae - aster family!Krigia biflora - false dandelion!Hieracium caespitosum - yellow hawkweed!Asteraceae - aster family!Prenanthes alba - lion’s foot!Leaves come up early in spring; note the various spring ephemerals below (common names?)!Asteraceae - aster family!Tribe Cardueae (Cynareae)!Plants with spiny phyllaries and often leaves and stems!Flowers never radiate!Petals white or cynanic colors (blues, purples)!Thistle, knapweed, burdock!Cirsium vulgare!Bull thistle!Cirsium pitcheri!Dune thistle!3/6/10!5!Asteraceae - aster family!Centaurea maculosa - Spotted knapweed! Arctium - burdock!Asteraceae - aster family!Tribe Vernonieae!Alternate leaves!Purple flowers!Resembles joe-pye weeds!Vernonia fasciculata!ironweed!Asteraceae - aster family!Ratibida pinnata - coneflower! Helianthus annuus - sunflower!Tribe Heliantheae!Large tribe with radiate (sometimes discoid heads), multi-layered phyllaries, rays mostly yellow, tendency for opposite leaves!Coneflower, sunflower, rosinweed, ox-eye, black-eyed Susan, prairie dock, coreopsis, Peruvian daisy!Asteraceae - aster family!Biden cernuus - bur marigold! Echinacea pallida - purple coneflower!3/6/10!6!Asteraceae - aster family!Tribe Heliantheae!Subtribe Ambrosiinae!Unisexual and wind pollinated, rays absent, stamens not fused!Ragweed, cocklebur!Ambrosia artemisiifolia!ragweed!Male florets!Female florets!Asteraceae - aster family!Tribe Heliantheae!Subtribe Eupatoriinae!Eupatorium maculatum!Joe-pye weed!Eupatorium perfoliatum!Boneset!Opposite or whorled leaves!Discoid heads!Corolla never yellow!Joe-pye weed, boneset, snakeroot, blazing star!Asteraceae - aster family!Solidago rigida - stiff goldenrod! Aster novae-angliae - New England aster!Tribe Astereae!Conspicuous rays in radiate head, pappus of plumose bristles; asters, goldenrods, fleabanes!Asteraceae - aster family!Tribe Anthemideae!Leucanthemum vulgare!Ox-eye daisy, chrysanthemum!Aromatic plants, with dissected, alternate leaves; pappus of awns or scales or missing!Ox-eye daisy, yarrow, wormwood, tansy, dog fennel!Tanacetum huronense - Lake Huron tansy!3/6/10!7!Asteraceae - aster family!Achillea millefolium - yarrow!Matricaria discoidea - pineapple weed!Antennaria plantaginifolia - pussy toes!Asteraceae - aster family!Tribe Gnaphalieae (Inuleae)!Plants usually covered with white hairs, pappus of bristles or hairs!Pussy toes, cudweed, pearly everlasting!Asteraceae - aster family!Anaphalis margaritacea - pearly everlasting!Asteraceae - aster family!Packera aurea - golden ragwort!Tribe Senecioneae!Alternate or basal leaved, phyllaries in 1 row, capillary pappus; ragwort, Indian