Daisy family (Compositae) characteristics

Characteristics of daisy family

Tanacetum vulgare
Photo of Tanacetum vulgare L., a plant of the compositae family
daisy family
Chrysanthemum frutescens

 

 

 

 

 

The daisy family – compositae – stands for about 2000 of plants scattered throughout the world, but mainly in temperate and subtropical regions.

Most of all, they are annual or vivacious herbs, although trees and bushes can also be found.

According to their floral structure (head) and their chemical composition it is considered as the most evolutionated family in the dicotyledonous

 

 

Leaves (1): simple or compound. Alternate or whorled.
Stems: (2) Generally herbaceous.
Flowers: Gathered in heads, (3), similar to a single flower but being in fact an inflorescence. heads are formed by a base where single flower stand. It is called the receptacle. All around the heads there are the bracts, calyx-like, forming altogether the involucre, (4)

daisy family

Calyx: Transformed in a single ring of hairs or scales, parachute- like. Sometimes not present.
Corolla: With 5 united petals. It can be:

  •  Bell- shaped, ending in 5 teeth. This kind of flowers are called florets. (5)daisy family
  • A tube-like that opens quickly in a flat form 5 teeth ending. They are called ligules. (6)

daisy family

Heads can be formed:

Stamens: 5 attached at the base of the corolla, united at the anthers like a tub,wherein style can be found.
Ovary: Inferior
Style: 1, with two stigmas.
Fruit: Achenes

Genera

There are about 900 genera. The most important:

ACHILLEA

ADENOSTYLES

AETHEORHRIZA

AMBROSIA

ANACYCLUS

ANDRYALA

ANTENNARIA

ANTHEMIS

APOSERIS

ARCTIUM

ARCTOTHECA

ARNICA

ARNOSERIS

ARTEMISIA

ASTER

ASTERISCUS

ATRACTYLIS

BACCHARIS

BALSAMITA

BELLIS

BELLIUM

BIDENS

BOMBYCILAENA

CALENDULA

CARDUNCELLUS

CARDUUS

CARLINA

CARPESIUM

CARTHAMUS

CATANANCHE

CENTAUREA

CHAMAEMELUM

CHAMOMILLA

CHEIROLOPUS

CHONDRILLA

CICERBITA

CICHORIUM

CIRSIUM

CLADANTHUS

CNICUS

COLEOSTEPHUS

CONYZA

COTULA

CREPIS

CRUPINA

CRYSANTHEMUM

CYANOPSIS

CYNARA

DITTRICHIA

DORONICUM

ECHINOPS

ECLIPTA

ERIGERON

EUPATORIUM

EVAX

FILAGINELLA

FILAGO

GALACTITES

GALINSOGA

GAMOCHAETA

GLOSSOPAPPUS

GNAPHALIUM

GUIZOTIA

GYMNOSTYLES

HEDYPNOIS

HELIANTHUS

HELICHRYSUM

HETERANTHEMIS

HIERACIUM

HISPIDELLA

HOMOGYNE

HYMENOSTEMMA

HYOSERIS

IFLOGA

JASONIA

JURINEA

KOELPINIA

LACTUCA

LAPSANA

LASIOPOGON

LAUNANEA

LEONTODON

LEONTOPODIUM

LEPIDOPHORUM

LEUCANTHEMOPSIS

LEUCANTHEMUM

LEUZEA

LEYSERA

LOGFIA

MANTISALCA

MATRICARIA

MICROPUS

MYCELIS

NEOLLETIA

NOTOBASIS

OMALOTHECA

ONOPORDUM

OTANTHUS

OTOSPERMUM

PALLENIS

PETASITES

PHAGNALON

PHALACROCARPUM

PICNOMON

PICRIS

PRENANTHES

PROLONGOA

PTILOSTEMON

PULICARIA

REICHARDIA

RHAGADIOLUS

ROTHMALERIA

SANTOLINA

SAUSSUREA

SCHKUHARIA

SCOLYMUS

SCORZONERA

SENECIO

SERRATULA

SILYBUM

SOLIDAGO

SOLIVA

SONCHUS

STAEHELINA

TAGETES

TANACETUM

TARAXACUM

TOLPIS

TRAGOPOGON

TRYMNUS

TUSSILAGO

UROSPERMUM

VOLUTARIA

XANTHIUM

XERANTHEMUM

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This article was endorsed by Julián Masats - Technical agricultural engineer specialized in horticulture and gardening.
Editorial
Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

11 June, 2024

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