| Asteraceae (Asters) |
| Asteraceae (or Compositae) is the largest and most widespread family of flowering plants. Asteraceae contains 1,911 genera and ca. 32,900 species. The majority of species have composite flowers consisting of a flower head (capitulum) filled with hundreds of small florets, giving the inflorescence the appearance of a single flower. Most species are herbaceous, but the family also contains shrubs, vines, and trees. Asteraceae are found worldwide, except Antarctica and the extreme Arctic, but are especially diverse in the arid and semiarid parts of subtropical and lower temperate regions. |
