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Asteridae

(Subclass)

Overview

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Asteridae is a clade of plants, known for their flowers. Asteridae has been ranked as a subclass, but this ranking has varied depending on the taxonomy being used. Composition of the clade has also varied, however, by definition it 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:

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.

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Taxonomy

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The Subclass Asteridae is a member of the Class Magnoliopsida. Here is the complete "parentage" of Asteridae:

The Subclass Asteridae is further organized into finer groupings including:

Orders

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Apiales

The Apiales are an order of flowering plants. The families given at right are those recognized in the APG III system. This is typical of the newer classifications, though there is some slight variation, and in particular the Torriceliaceae may be divided. [more]

Aquifoliales

[more]

Asterales

Asterales is an of dicotyledonous flowering plants that includes the composite family (Asteraceae) and its related families. [more]

Boraginales

Boraginales is a valid taxonomic name at the rank of order for a group of flowering plants. When recognised, it is includes Boraginaceae and closely related asterid families. [more]

Bruniales

[more]

Campanulales

Campanulales is a valid botanic name 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]

Cornales

Cornales is an order of flowering plants, basal among the asterids, containing about 600 species. Plants within Cornales usually have four-parted flowers, drupaceous fruits, and inferior gynoecia topped with disc-shaped nectaries. Under the APG system, Cornales includes the following families: [more]

Desfontainiales

[more]

Dipsacales

The Dipsacales are an order of flowering plants, included within the asterid group of dicotyledons. [more]

Ericales

The Ericales are a large and diverse order of dicotyledons, including for example tea, persimmon, blueberry, Brazil nut, and azalea. The order includes trees and bushes, lianas and herbaceous plants. Together with ordinary autophytic plants, the Ericales include chlorophyll-deficient myco-heterotrophic plants (e. g. Sarcodes sanguinea) and carnivorous plants (e. g. genus Sarracenia). [more]

Garryales

The Garryales are a small order of dicotyledons, including only two families and three genera: [more]

Gentianales

Gentianales are an order of flowering plants, included within the asterid group of dicotyledons. [more]

Goodeniales

[more]

Hydrangeales

[more]

Icacinales

Icacinaceae is a family of flowering plants. It consists of trees, shrubs, and lianas, primarily of the tropics. [more]

Lamiales

Lamiales is an order in the asterid group of dicotyledonous flowering plants. It includes approximately 11,000 species divided into about 20 families. Well-known or economically important members of this order include lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, the ash tree, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, and a number of table herbs such as mint, basil, and rosemary. [more]

Metteniusales

[more]

Paracryphiales

[more]

Saxifragales

Saxifragales is an order of flowering plants. Their closest relatives are a large eudicot group known as the rosids by the definition of rosids given in the APG II classification system. Some authors define the rosids more widely, including Saxifragales as their most basal group. Saxifragales is one of the eight groups that compose the core eudicots. The others are Gunnerales, Dilleniaceae, rosids, Santalales, Berberidopsidales, Caryophyllales, and asterids. [more]

Solanales

The Solanales are an order of flowering plants, included in the asterid group of dicotyledons. Some older sources used the name Polemoniales for this order. [more]

Stylidiales

[more]

Theales

Theales is a botanical name at the rank of order. The name was used by the Cronquist system for an order placed in subclass Dilleniidae, in the 1981 version of the system the circumscription was: [more]

At least 299 species and subspecies belong to the Order Theales.

More info about the Order Theales may be found here.

Sources

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Last Revised: August 24, 2012
2012/08/24 13:07:08