Asterids
Asterids
Asterids are a large clade (monophyletic group) of flowering plants, composed of 17 orders) and more than 80,000 species, about a third of the total flowering plant species. The asterids are divided into the unranked clades lamiids (8 orders) and campanulids (7 orders), and the single orders Cornales and Ericales. Well-known asterids include dogwoods and hydrangeas (order Cornales), tea, blueberries, cranberries, kiwifruit, Brazil nuts, argan, sapote, and azaleas (order Ericales), sunflowers, lettuce, common daisy, yacon, carrots, celery, parsley, parsnips, ginseng, ivies, holly, honeysuckle, elder, and valerian) (clade campanulids), borage, forget-me-nots, comfrey, coffee, frangipani, gentian, pong-pong, oleander, periwinkle, basil), mint, rosemary, sage, oregano, thyme, lavender, wild dagga, olives, ash, teak, foxgloves, lilac, jasmine, snapdragons, African violets, butterfly bushes, sesame, psyllium, potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, chilli peppers, tobacco, petunias, morning glory, and sweet potato (clade lamiids).
Asterids
Most of the taxa belonging to this clade had been referred to as Asteridae in the Cronquist system (1981) and as Sympetalae in earlier systems. The name asterids (not necessarily capitalised) resembles the earlier botanical name but is intended to be the name of a clade rather than a formal ranked name, in the sense of the ICBN.
History
Genetic analysis carried out after APG II maintains that the sister to all other asterids are the Cornales. A second order that split from the base of the asterids are the Ericales. The remaining orders cluster into two clades, the lamiids and the campanulids. The structure of both of these clades has changed in APG III.
Reading List
Report Issue