Asteraceae -- the sunflower family (1400-1540/ 20,000-23,000; Cosmopolitan)
Habit herbs or shrubs (woody vines, stem-succulents, or trees)
Leaves alternate or opposite; simple to bipinnate; estipulate
Inflorescences involucral heads, indeterminate (with oldest flowers to outside), often 2° aggregated into various cymose clusters, sometimes racemose clusters
Special floral characters small flowers (florets) clustered together on a receptacle subtended by involucral bracts (phyllaries). Some florets subtended by receptacular bracts (chaff scales or paleae)
Calyx modified into a pappus, extremely variable in features, maybe absent
Corolla 5 petals, connate (=sympetalous); actinomorphic to strongly zygomorphic
Androecium 5 stamens; filament distinct with anthers connate into a tube surrounding the style; filaments adnate to corolla (=epipetalous). Anthers dehisce to the inside of the anther tube, anther sacs can be modified apically or basally with appendages
Gynoecium 2 carpels, connate; inferior; with 1 locule and 1 basal ovule; 1 style usually branched near apex. Style elongates as flower opens, and presents pollen brushed from the anther tube.
Fruit= achene
(Floral formula: Ca x(0) Co 5 A 5 G 2 )