Overview
Asteridae is a at the rank of subclass. Circumscription of the subclass has varied with the taxonomic system being used but by definition always includes the family Asteraceae (Compositae). One of the better-known and more influential systems that formally recognized subclass Asteridae was the Cronquist system devised by botanist Arthur Cronquist, which included the orders:
- Gentianales
- Solanales
- Lamiales
- Callitrichales
- Plantaginales
- Scrophulariales
- Campanulales
- Rubiales
- Dipsacales
- Calycerales
- Asterales
Most of the above orders as defined by Cronquist have been dramatically redefined on the basis of recent molecular systematic studies.
To a large extent Cronquist's subclass Asteridae corresponds with the older concepts of Sympetalae and Tubiflorae, groups that were defined by having their petals united into a tube. However, these older classifications contained some sympetalous families, such as Cucurbitaceae, that are now known not to be closely related. Cronquist's concept also corresponds closely with the APG II group of euasterids but the APG does not formally recognize a group called "Asteridae" (or any other group above the rank of order).
Recent phylogenetic studies have suggested that several families, including three major orders not included in Asteridae by Cronquist, Ericales, Cornales, and Apiales, also belong to the asterid group. The circumscription of subclass Asteridae, as well as the circumscriptions of the orders contained within it, is currently in a state of flux; many systematic botanists refer to these as clades (asterids, euasterids, etc., rather than use formal names such as subclass Asteridae.
Photos
Taxonomy
The Subclass Asteridae is a member of the Class Dicotyledoneae. Here is the complete "parentage" of Asteridae:
- Domain: Eukaryota
Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Plantae
Haeckel, 1866
- Phylum: Anthophyta
- Class: Dicotyledoneae
- Subclass: Asteridae Takhtajan, 1967
- Class: Dicotyledoneae
- Phylum: Anthophyta
- Kingdom: Plantae
Haeckel, 1866
The Subclass Asteridae is further organized into finer groupings including:
- Order (6): Asterales · Calycerales · Campanulales · Goodeniales · Menyanthales · Stylidiales
Orders
Asterales
The Asterales are an of dicotyledonous flowering plants which include the composite family Asteraceae (sunflowers, daisies, thistles etc.) and its related families. [more]
Calycerales
The Calycerales is a valid for an order of flowering plants. When accepted, it included the Acicarpha and the Calycera. These are now placed in the Asterales, and Calycerales treated as a synonym of Asterales. [more]
Campanulales
Campanulales is a valid for a plant order. It was used in the Cronquist system as an order within the subclass Asteridae in the class Magnoliopsida flowering plants. As then circumscribedit included families: [more]
Goodeniales
Menyanthales
Stylidiales
At least 558 species and subspecies belong to the Order Stylidiales.
More info about the Order Stylidiales may be found here.
Sources
- The text on this page is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It includes material from Wikipedia retrieved Thursday, August 13, 2009.
- Photographs on this page are copyrighted by individual photographers, and individual copyrights apply.
- The GMapImageCutter is used under license from the UCL Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis.
- The technology underlying this page, including the Image Browser and controls behind Keep Exploring, is owned by the BayScience Foundation. All rights are reserved.