Internal links:            Angiosperms > Eudicots > Superastrids > Campanulids > Campanulids  > Asterales > Asteraceae

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Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms > Eudicots > Asterids > Asterales > Asteraceae

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Common name:    Daisy         Ancient Greek for star   

Etymology:   From Latin aster (“star”) because of the shape of its flowers, from Ancient Greek ἀστήρ (astḗr, “star”)

Flowers:               

• Apparent ‘flowers’ are mainly condensed inflorescences of many small flowers clustered together

• Form evolved to attract its pollinators, insects

• Joined anthers of the stamens

Fruit:                

•  Fruit are achene-like cypselae (Cypsela morphology is used to determine plant relationships)

• Two fused carpels, with only one locule, and one seed per fruit

• Sometimes winged or spiny because the pappus, which often remains on the fruit

• In some species, however, the pappus falls off (for example in Helianthus)

• The mature seeds usually have little endosperm or none

Leaves:                

• Alternate, opposite, or whorled

• May be simple, but are often deeply lobed or otherwise incised, often conduplicate or revolute.

•  The margins also can be entire or toothed

• Resin or latex also can be present in the leaves.    

Habit:            

• Mostly herbaceous plants

• Some shrubs, vines, and trees do exist        

Habitat:   

• They are common in grasslands and lightly forested areas as well as montane vegetation

• Less well represented in humid lowland tropical forests

Species:                      

• World:          32 000 S,    1 900 G

•  Australia:     1 400 S,         290 G

Additional notes:  

• The family is a highly successful one due to its adaptability and high reproductive rate. 

• The small flowers of many Australian species is possibly related to the often poor soils and the low availability of plant nutrients

• Many species introduced into Australia have become common weeds, some seriously invasive

Local examples include the thistles, as well as Arctotheca calendula (Capeweed) Chrysanthemoides monolifera (Boneseed) and Jacobaea vulgaris

• Some are important as food plants such as: 

  • Lactuca sativa (Lettuce), Cichorium endivia (Endive), and Cynara scolymus (Artichoke)

  • Safflower oil is extracted from the seeds of Carthamus, sunflower oil from the seeds of Helianthus, and the culinary herb tarragon is Artemisia dracunculus

  • Members of many genera are grown as ornamentals, including Aster, Calendula (English Marigold), Chrysanthemum, Dahlia, Helichrysum and Zinnia

  • Numerous other species are important commercially, in products such as insecticides, varnishes and paints, soaps and detergents, cosmetics and perfumes, and medicines