Asteraceae

Aster L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 872 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Temp. Eurasia to Jawa, NW. Africa, Subarctic America to NW. U.S.A.

Descriptions

Compositae, H. Beentje, C. Jeffrey & D.J.N. Hind. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2005

Morphology General Habit
Herbs with tuberous roots or woody rhizomes, rarely annual herbs or small shrubs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, entire or dentate-pinnatifid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum
Capitula heterogamous, usually radiate, few–many-flowered, solitary or in corymbs; phyllaries 3–4(–5)-seriate, imbricate, the outer shorter than the inner
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Ray florets female, usually 1-seriate, sometimes with staminodes; central flowers hermaphrodite, tubular, 5-lobed, anthers linear, obtuse at the base, with a lanceolate appendage at the apex, style bifid with linear branches
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes ellipsoid or obovoid, slightly compressed, pubescent and glandular; pappus of many usually unequal bristles, rarely double with an outer row of scale-like bristles.
[FTEA]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Mostly perennial herbs (rarely annual); leaves alternate, and entire, toothed or divided
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Heads radiate, usually in corymbs or panicles, rarely solitary or in racemes; involucre bell-shaped, the phyllaries imbricate in 3–4 series; receptacle flat or convex
Ray
Ray-florets in 1 or 2 series, usually pistillate and fertile; disc-florets 5-lobed, perfect, and usually fertile
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers obtuse at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style-arms of the disc-florets flattened, crowned with a short or long papillose appendage
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes usually compressed, 1–4-ribbed or ribless; pappus of bristles in 2 or 3 series.
Distribution
A cosmopolitan genus of more than 500 species.
[Cayman]

Sources

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0