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Family Asteraceae

Synonyms: Compositae APNI*

Description: Annual, biennial, or perennial herbs, shrubs or rarely climbers.

Leaves opposite and/or alternate, often in a basal rosette, margins entire to deeply lobed, membranous to leathery; stipules absent.

Inflorescence a solitary head on a scape, or several heads in a compound inflorescence; sometimes with the heads aggregated into compound heads; each head surrounded by an involucre of 1–several rows of bracts, sometimes spinose; florets ± sessile on a receptacle, sometimes each subtended by a scale, bisexual or unisexual, rarely in unisexual heads. Calyx modified as a pappus of scales, bristles, barbs, horns, scarious cup or ring or absent. Corolla of 3 types: (1) disc florets that are tubular with 3–5 equal lobes, usually fertile; (2) ray florets where the corolla tube is slit along one side and an extended limb forms the ray (ligule) of the floret; often female or neuter by abortion of styles; (3) outer female florets filiform with corolla tube slender and tapering to a minutely toothed apex; or corolla sometimes lacking. Within a single head flowers may be (1) all tubular, (2) tubular and filiform, (3) tubular and ligulate, (4) allligulate. Receptacle usually a fleshy flat disc, sometimes an elongated club-shaped structure. Stamens 5, alternate with petals and the lower part of filaments usually fused to the corolla tube; anthers 2-locular, usually cohering to form a cylinder. Ovary inferior, 1-locular; ovule solitary, basal; style with 2 stigmatic branches or unbranched in sterile florets.

Fruit an achene, often with a persistent pappus of hairs, bristles or scales; achenes produced by different floret types are often different.

Flower
Photo J. Plaza

Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 1100 genera, 24 000 species, cosmopolitan. Australia: c. 205 genera, 970 species, all States.

External links:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Family: Asteraceae, Order: Asterales)
Wikipedia

Text by E. A. Brown and contributors as listed under genus headings
Taxon concept:

Head, florets, stamens and achenes in Asteraceae. A, head in L.S.; B, stamens with anthers tailed and with apical appendages; C, ray floret; D, filiform floret; E, disc floret; F–K, achenes with pappus of different types; F, pappus of bristles; G, pappus of scales; H, pappus scales reduced to a cup; I, pappus of awns; J, achene with neck and pappus reduced to a thickened ring; K, achene beaked, pappus of bristles.

Taxa not yet included in identification key
Allittia, Argentipallium, Argyrotegium, Bellis, Calyptocarpus, Coronidium, Dimorphocoma, Ethuliopsis, Euchiton, Eupatorium, Florestina, Gamochaeta, Gynura, Hieracium, Logfia, Lordhowea, Mauranthemum, Oncosiphon, Paenula, Pascalia, Pentzia, Pilosella, Roebuckiella, Sphaeromorphaea

	Key to the genera
1	Heads (i.e. whole inflorescence) forming burrs in fruit, or spiny and borne sessile in axils of leaves along stems	11
	Heads not forming burrs in fruit or if with stiff barbed bristles then borne in terminal heads	2
2	Flower heads with all florets ligulate (not including petaloid stigmas that sometimes look like ligules); with milky latex	37
	Flower heads with all florets tubular or some florets ligulate and some tubular; lacking milky latex Back to 1	3
3	All florets tubular and/or some filiform, or if some ligulate then ligules less than 3 mm long (involucral bracts sometimes coloured and resembling ligules or sometimes lobes of corolla long and resembling ligules)	4
	Outer florets with ligules more than 3 mm long Back to 2	9
4	Receptacle bearing inner tubular florets with scales or bristles; leaves usually spinose (thistles); styles with tuft of hairs below stigma branches	60
	Receptacle glabrous or if with scales then leaves not spinose; styles glabrous Back to 3	5
5	Leaves opposite, at least lower ones	71
	Leaves alternately arranged and/or in basal rosette Back to 4	6
6	Involucral bracts in 1 whorl, rarely with a few much shorter ones at base; usually fused, although sometimes only at the base; flower heads simple	71
	Involucral bracts in 2 or more whorls and free, or with compound flower heads Back to 5	7
7	Flower heads clustered into compound heads with scales or leaves more or less densely arranged around it, rarely without	100
	Flower heads solitary and/or stalked Back to 6	8
8	Pappus absent or reduced to a vestigial scarious cup	121
	Pappus of bristles or scales at least subequal to the achene Back to 7	150
9	Leaves opposite, at least lower ones	11
	Leaves alternately arranged and/or in basal rosette Back to 3	10
10	Pappus present and usually prominent	202
	Pappus absent, reduced to less than 1 mm or cup-like Back to 9	235
11	Fruit (i.e. achenes plus fused involucral bracts) spiny or burrs, in axils of leaves along stems (flower heads sometimes in spike-like inflorescences)	12
	Achenes not inside a fused fruit-like structure (sometimes enfolded by a conduplicate, unfused bract or scale); flower head not forming a burr, if spiny or with barbed hairs then borne in terminal heads Back to 9	14
12	Leaves opposite, sometimes alternate above; fruit consisting of 1 ray achene enveloped by one of the modified inner involucral bracts; 1–several borne on the common receptacle, within the outer involucral bracts	Acanthospermum
	All leaves spirally arranged or in basal rosette; all the involucral bracts united to form a hard burr or nut enclosing 1 or more achenes; 1–several fruits borne in the leaf axils Back to 11	13
13	Leaves entire, toothed, or if lobed then fruits covered with recurved spines	Xanthium
	Leaves deeply divided Back to 12	Ambrosia
14	Bracts and whole plant covered with glandular hairs	15
	Bracts and whole plant without glands Back to 11	16
15	Leaves linear, opposite below, alternate above	Madia
	Leaves lanceolate to elliptic, opposite Back to 14	Sigesbeckia
16	Corolla of outer florets longer than 8 mm	17
	Corolla of outer florets up to 5 mm long Back to 14	27
17	Leaves entire, toothed, or shallowly lobed	18
	Leaves, at least lower ones, deeply lobed Back to 16	25
18	Leaves sessile and usually clasping stem	19
	Leaves petiolate or constricted towards base and not clasping stem Back to 17	20
19	Leaves usually entire; involucral bracts in at least 3 rows	Zinnia
	Leaves usually toothed; involucral bracts in 2 rows Back to 18	Guizotia
20	Pappus of many hairs	21
	Pappus of few hairs, absent, or otherwise Back to 18	22
21	Plants prostrate	Tridax
	Plants erect shrubs or subshrubs Back to 20	Olearia
22	Achenes winged	Verbesina
	Achenes angled or compressed but without wings Back to 20	23
23	Receptacle conical	Acmella
	Receptacle flat or convex Back to 22	24
24	Heads in groups of 3; leaves ovate to rhombic, toothed	Wollastonia
	Heads solitary; leaves narrow-lanceolate, more or less entire to toothed or minutely lobed Back to 23	Apowollastonia
25	Lobes of leaves up to 2 mm wide	Cosmos
	Lobes 4–50 mm wide Back to 17	26
26	Shrubs 1–4 m high; ligules of florets white	Montanoa
	Subshrubs less than 1 m high; ligules of florets yellow Back to 25	Coreopsis
27	Receptacle naked	28
	Receptacle with scales or chaffy Back to 16	29
28	Involucral bracts in 1 row and fused; plant with pungent smell	Tagetes
	Involucral bracts in several rows, free Back to 27	Schkuhria
29	Pappus consisting of bristles or scales	30
	Pappus absent, rarely a cup, very short hairs or scales Back to 27	31
30	Leaves pinnately divided	Bidens
	Leaves entire or toothed Back to 29	Galinsoga
31	Bracts covered with stalked glands	Sigesbeckia
	Bracts without glands Back to 29	32
32	Tubular florets sterile; involucral bracts in 1 row or if in 2 rows then outer row with 2–5 bracts	33
	All florets fertile; involucral bracts numerous, in 2 or more rows Back to 31	35
33	Leaves opposite; plants aquatic to semi-aquatic with soft creeping stems rooting at the nodes	Enydra
	Leaves alternate (lower ones often opposite) or clustered; lacking the above combination of features Back to 32	34
34	Involucral bracts enfolding the ray achenes, with shortly spiny tips, sparsely hairy	Hemizonia
	Involucral bracts not enfolding the ray achenes, with membranous margins, woolly Back to 33	Eriocephalus
35	Receptacle conical	Acmella
	Receptacle flat or slightly convex Back to 32	36
36	Outer achenes triangular in section, inner ones compressed	Eclipta
	All achenes in flower head similar Back to 35	Wedelia
37	Florets blue or violet, rarely white	38
	Florets yellow Back to 2	39
38	Pappus of feathery hairs	Tragopogon
	Pappus of minute scales Back to 37	Cichorium
39	Receptacle of flower head with scales	40
	Receptacle naked Back to 37	41
40	Stems with spiny wings; plants spiny	Scolymus
	Stems without wings; soft herbs Back to 39	Hypochaeris
41	Involucral bracts in 1 whorl	42
	Involucral bracts in more than 1 whorl and often with much smaller ones at base of flower head Back to 39	43
42	Pappus feathery	Urospermum
	Pappus scaly or bristle-like Back to 41	Leontodon
43	All leaves in basal rosette	44
	Leaves basal and/or on erect stem (cauline leaves often much smaller) Back to 41	47
44	All, or most achenes with a filiform beak longer than the fertile portion; scaly-muricate or muricate-spinulose in upper part	Taraxacum
	Achenes lacking filiform beak or beak not filiform and less than half the length of the fertile portion Back to 43	45
45	Pappus of free scarious scales with acuminate apices produced into barbellate bristles	Microseris
	Pappus of numerous plumose or barbellate bristles Back to 44	46
46	Bristles barbellate; pappus of inner and outer achenes similar	Youngia
	Bristles plumose; pappus of inner and outer achenes frequently dissimilar Back to 45	Leontodon
47	Achenes drawn into long neck	48
	Achenes abruptly truncated at apex Back to 43	52
48	Pappus hairs feathery	49
	Pappus hairs simple Back to 47	50
49	Achenes tapered at apex or more or less truncate; hairs 2-fid, base not expanded	Picris
	Achenes abruptly narrowed at apex into a filiform beak; hairs 3–5-fid, base expanded Back to 48	Helminthotheca
50	Achenes strongly compressed	Lactuca
	Achenes not compressed Back to 48	51
51	Achenes with at least 1 ring of teeth below beak	Chondrilla
	Achenes without ring of teeth Back to 50	Crepis
52	All achenes laterally compressed	53
	Achenes not laterally compressed, or sometimes the outer ones dorsiventrally compressed Back to 47	54
53	Achenes elliptic in outline, both ends narrowed, sometimes cylindrical, margins wingless or narrow-winged; ribs never raised to form small wings	Sonchus
	Achenes flask-shaped in outline, constricted at the apex, margins with broad flat wings; ribs may be raised to form smaller secondary wings Back to 52	Actites
54	Pappus hairs feathery	55
	Pappus hairs simple or absent Back to 52	56
55	Achenes with a pale thickened hollow base c. a third as long as achene	Scorzonera
	Achenes not thickened at base Back to 54	Picris
56	Pappus absent, achenes with 20 ribs	Lapsana
	Pappus present, rarely absent and then achenes with 4 ribs Back to 54	57
57	Achenes with 6 to several ribs	58
	Achenes rough and 4-ribbed Back to 56	59
58	Involucral bracts and upper peduncle with glandular hairs	Crepis
	Involucral bracts and upper peduncle glabrous Back to 57	Youngia
59	Pappus scale-like broadened at the base	Tolpis
	Pappus fine silky hairs Back to 57	Reichardia
60	Flower heads with 1 floret, grouped into globose (compound) heads	Echinops
	Flower heads usually with many florets, not grouped into compound heads Back to 4	61
61	Receptacle of flower head glabrous	Onopordum
	Receptacle with scales or bristles Back to 60	62
62	Receptacle with scales	63
	Receptacle with bristles Back to 61	65
63	Achenes more or less cylindrical and ribbed	Hemisteptia
	Achenes compressed or flat Back to 62	64
64	Involucral bracts with spreading spines	Cirsium
	Involucral bracts without spines and recurved or hooked Back to 63	Arctium
65	Involucral bracts loose and leaf-like	Carthamus
	Involucral bracts scale-like and more or less appressed Back to 62	66
66	Achenes obliquely attached to receptacle	Centaurea
	Achenes vertically attached to receptacle Back to 65	67
67	Leaves white-veined or variegated above; achenes compressed; anther filaments joined into a tube which encloses the basal appendages of the anthers	Silybum
	Leaves usually uniformly coloured above; achenes terete, sometimes ribbed; anther filaments free Back to 66	68
68	Pappus 2 rows of bristles; the outer long and scabrous, the inner much shorter (less than half as long) and ciliate	Cnicus
	Pappus not composed of 2 rows of bristles of markedly differing length Back to 67	69
69	Involucral bracts ending in spines	70
	Involucral bracts not ending in spines Back to 68	Rhaponticum
70	Pappus hairs simple	Carduus
	Pappus hairs feathery Back to 69	Cynara
71	Leaves opposite at least at base, rarely in whorls	72
	Leaves alternately arranged and/or radical Back to 6	92
72	Flower heads compound	100
	Flower heads simple Back to 71	73
73	Leaves lobed to deeply divided	74
	Leaves entire or toothed Back to 72	78
74	Pappus absent; water plant with soft branches; involucral bracts 4 and free	Enydra
	Pappus hair-like or with bristles or scales; not a water plant; involucral bracts more than 4 or fused Back to 73	75
75	Upper leaves clasping stem; pappus of fine hairs	Emilia
	All leaves not clasping; pappus of few bristles or of scales Back to 74	76
76	Involucral bracts fused into tube; plant with pungent smell	Tagetes
	Involucral bracts free; plants usually odourless Back to 75	77
77	Pappus of 2–4 stiff, barbed awns; receptacle scales present, but not persistent	Bidens
	Pappus of 8–10 membranous scales (sometimes darkly striated at the apex); receptacle scales absent Back to 76	Schkuhria
78	Achenes narrow-cylindrical with a long straight or curved beak; outer florets strongly decurved and overhanging involucre	Millotia
	Achenes and florets lacking the above combination of characters Back to 73	79
79	Pappus absent or very small	80
	Pappus at least half as long as achenes or gland-tipped Back to 78	84
80	Flower head covered with glandular hairs	81
	Flower heads without glands Back to 79	82
81	Style branches slightly exserted but not petaloid; ray florets with very small ligules; receptacle with somewhat persistent scales	Sigesbeckia
	Style branches long-exserted and petal-like; all florets tubular; receptacle naked Back to 80	Gymnocoronis
82	Achenes flat with involute herbaceous wings with large incurved appendages at the apex; small annual herbs	Ceratogyne
	Achenes lacking involute wings with apical appendages; large annual to perennial herbs Back to 80	83
83	Receptacle naked (occasionally with innermost involucral bracts scale-like or scales sporadic); all florets tubular; inconspicuous pappus present	Ageratum
	Receptacle with scales; ray florets shortly ligulate; pappus absent Back to 82	Enydra
84	Involucral bracts fused at base and with glandular hairs; flower heads with 4 or 5 florets	Stevia
	Involucral bracts not as above; flower heads with numerous florets Back to 79	85
85	Involucral bracts membranous	86
	Involucral bracts herbaceous sometimes with membranous margins Back to 84	87
86	All florets bisexual	Rutidosis
	Few outer florets female Back to 85	Helichrysum
87	Pappus hairs gland-tipped	Adenostemma
	Pappus without glands Back to 85	88
88	Leaves linear to oblong, entire	89
	Leaves lanceolate to ovate, toothed Back to 87	90
89	Involucral bracts linear to linear-lanceolate	Glossocardia
	Involucral bracts broad Back to 88	Acmella
90	Pappus of 5 or more fragile bristles, soon falling from the achene	Ageratina
	Pappus of scales, awns or rudimentary Back to 88	91
91	Pappus of scales, usually with awns	Ageratum
	Pappus 2–4 stiff, retrorsely barbed awns Back to 90	Bidens
92	Pappus purplish-mauve	Erechtites
	Pappus white or almost so Back to 71	93
93	Florets orange to deep red or purple at least at top	94
	Florets yellow to white Back to 92	95
94	Leaves clasping upper stems	Emilia
	Leaves not clasping stems Back to 93	Crassocephalum
95	Marginal florets sterile	Arrhenechthites
	Marginal florets fertile Back to 93	96
96	Achenes narrow-cylindrical with a long straight or curved beak; outer florets strongly decurved and overhanging involucre	Millotia
	Achenes and florets lacking the above combination of characters Back to 95	97
97	Outer achenes flattened	Cineraria
	Outer achenes not flattened Back to 96	98
98	Plants erect or decumbent, occasionally prostrate but never scandent, twining nor diffuse	99
	Plants scandent semi-succulent twiners or trailers Back to 97	Delairea
99	Annual to perennial herbs, or shrubs with ligulate ray florets	Senecio
	Shrubs or small trees, florets all tubular Back to 98	Bedfordia
100	Leaves opposite; dichotomously branching (repeatedly branching from below terminal inflorescence)	Flaveria
	Leaves all or mostly alternate, or crowded Back to 72	101
101	Leaves 1–2-pinnatifid; margins spinose	Echinops
	Leaves with margins toothed or entire, margins not spinose Back to 100	102
102	Branches with herbaceous wings extending from leaf bases down the internode; leaves mostly toothed	Pterocaulon
	Branches not winged; leaves entire Back to 101	103
103	Common involucre surrounding the compound head of numerous scarious, opaque white or yellow bracts	Myriocephalus
	Common involucre of few green leaves, scales or absent Back to 102	104
104	Heads with 2 types of florets (tubular and more or less filiform)	105
	Heads with 1 type of floret Back to 103	107
105	Leaves spathulate with petiole usually distinctly longer than the broad-circular to broad-obovate lamina	Stuartina
	Leaves linear, lanceolate, or oblanceolate Back to 104	106
106	Plants with erect stems	Gnaphalium
	Plants stemless Back to 105	Isoetopsis
107	Inflorescence sessile at ground level, usually in a rosette of leaves	108
	Inflorescence terminal on aerial stems or scapes Back to 104	109
108	Pappus of 4 or 5 stiff bristles fused at the base	Actinobole
	Pappus absent Back to 107	Chthonocephalus
109	Pappus absent	110
	Pappus present Back to 107	116
110	Corolla hairy; common involucre absent; florets 20–40 per individual head	Eriochlamys
	Corolla lacking hairs; common involucre present; florets 1 or 2 per head Back to 109	111
111	Involucral bracts papillate at tips; leaves hairy at the base only	Pogonolepis
	Involucral bracts not papillate at tips; leaves usually densely hairy Back to 110	112
112	Pappus of 8–12 subplumose bristles, united at the base for about half the length of corolla tube. Plants prostrate, with reddish, somewhat wiry stems terminating in very woolly compound heads	Lemooria
	Pappus absent or not as above; plants lacking the above combination of features Back to 111	113
113	General receptacle with long bristles	Trichanthodium
	General receptacle glabrous Back to 112	114
114	Achenes with dense, entwined hairs	Gnephosis
	Achenes papillose, glabrous Back to 113	115
115	Bracts subtending heads more or less similar to involucral bracts (except sometimes more concave); achenes brown	Angianthus
	Bracts subtending heads unlike involucral bracts; achenes pink or purple Back to 114	Gnephosis
116	Achenes tapering to long terminal beak	Waitzia
	Achenes otherwise Back to 109	117
117	Pappus much shorter than the corolla	Gnephosis
	Pappus more or less equal in length to corolla Back to 116	118
118	Achenes glabrous to papillose	Calocephalus
	Achenes hairy Back to 117	119
119	Inflorescence branching, heads and branches subtended by large cordate leaves or bracts that ± enclose the head	Elephantopus
	Inflorescence simple, rarely branching from within the heads; heads with or without small enclosing bracts that in no way envelope the heads Back to 118	120
120	Heads pedunculate within the compound head; bracts and pappus hairs white (or bracts brown-tinged)	Craspedia
	Heads sessile within the compound head; bracts and pappus hairs yellow Back to 119	Pycnosorus
121	Leaves entire or toothed	122
	Leaves deeply divided and pinnatifid Back to 8	144
122	Achenes drawn into a terminal beak	123
	Achenes more or less abruptly truncated at apex Back to 121	126
123	Rosette forming perennial	124
	Erect or low-growing annual, biennial or perennial Back to 122	125
124	Ray florets with small but well-developed ligules; beak of achenes well-developed, often densely glandular, apex with a thickened pale collar	Lagenophora
	Ray florets with ligules rudimentary or absent; beak of achenes rudimentary or absent, glands lacking or rarely with a few near the apex, thickened apical collar absent Back to 123	Solenogyne
125	Achenes with short beaks (less than a quarter the length of achene), glandular near apex; erect herb 30–60 cm high, flower heads nodding	Carpesium
	Achenes with long beaks (more than half the length of achene), woolly near apex; small more or less prostrate herb with stems 1–4 cm long, flower heads erect Back to 123	Millotia
126	Florets blue to purple	127
	Florets yellow or white to light green, sometimes tinged red Back to 122	128
127	Achenes usually 4-angled or ribbed; glandular, with thickened apical ring resembling pappus	Ethulia
	Achenes 8 to 10 ribs; non-glandular, pappus of bristles (often caducous) Back to 126	Centratherum
128	Receptacle with scales; flower head usually surrounded by numerous white, papery involucral bracts 5–10 mm long	Ammobium
	Receptacle naked; flower head, if surrounded by white involucral bracts, with a pappus of non-persistent bristles Back to 126	129
129	All florets tubular to campanulate	130
	Outer florets reduced, filiform or with a small ligule; differing in shape from the inner florets Back to 128	136
130	Achenes dark brown to black, tuberculate; herb to c. 60 cm high, more or less woolly	Acomis
	Achenes not dark brown to black, nor tuberculate; habit various Back to 129	131
131	Involucral bracts multiseriate	132
	Involucral bracts in 2 rows Back to 130	133
132	Shrubs; glabrous to minutely glandular hairy, viscid; involucral bracts pale golden brown to straw-coloured	Haeckeria
	Biennial herbs; more or less woolly, aromatic; involucral bracts pale brown tinged with pink, occasionally almost colourless Back to 131	Calomeria
133	Annual herbs with wiry stems; corolla woolly at base, glandular near apex	Eriochlamys
	Annual or perennial herbs lacking wiry stems; corolla glabrous and non-glandular Back to 131	134
134	Leaves lyrate-pinnatifid; outer florets tubular, inner ones campanulate	Dichrocephala
	Leaves entire to pinnate; florets tubular Back to 133	135
135	Achenes pedicellate, dimorphic; outer glandular-hairy, winged; inner sparsely glandular-hairy, with narrow marginal ridge	Cotula
	Achenes non-pedicellate; outer glabrous, not winged; inner failing to develop Back to 134	Abrotanella
136	Pappus of bristle-like hairs present when flowering, caducous at achenes maturity	137
	Pappus absent or minute throughout floral development Back to 129	138
137	Achenes sparsely to densely hairy; involucral bracts never clawed, herbaceous with scarious margins	Blumea
	Achenes glabrous; involucral bracts with scarious claw, inner bracts with white or coloured lamina Back to 136	Hyalosperma
138	Flower heads sessile; achenes with spines (2 ciliate horns) at apex	Ceratogyne
	Flower heads on a distinct stalk; if sessile, achenes without horns Back to 136	139
139	All leaves in a basal rosette	140
	Leaves along erect or creeping stems and at base Back to 138	141
140	Ray florets with small but well-developed ligules; beak of achenes well-developed, often densely glandular, apex with a thickened pale collar	Lagenophora
	Ray florets with ligules rudimentary or absent; beak of achenes rudimentary or absent, glands lacking or rarely with a few near the apex, thickened apical collar absent Back to 139	Solenogyne
141	Flower heads solitary on terminal peduncles	Cotula
	Flower heads either in terminal panicles, racemes or axillary and almost sessile Back to 139	142
142	Ray florets with small, deeply 3-lobed, yellow ligules	Madia
	Ray florets tubular to filiform Back to 141	143
143	Achenes with 3–5 obtuse ribs which frequently fail to extend to the apex, usually pubescent	Centipeda
	Achenes with 8–10 fine ribs reaching to the apex, glabrous except for a few bristles at the base Back to 142	Epaltes
144	Shrub with persistent woody stems	Artemisia
	Annual or perennial herbs, rarely subshrubs with a short woody base Back to 121	145
145	Flower heads sessile among the leaves; achenes with 1 or more apical spines	Soliva
	Flower heads pedunculate; achenes spineless Back to 144	146
146	Flower heads numerous in dense compound corymbs or large terminal panicles	147
	Flower heads solitary or in corymbs of 2 or 3 Back to 145	148
147	Receptacle scales absent	Tanacetum
	Receptacle scales present Back to 146	Parthenium
148	Florets sessile on the receptacle, which appears slightly pitted when the achenes have fallen; plants erect to ascending	Matricaria
	Florets raised above the receptacle on minute pedicels which persist when the achenes have fallen, plants erect; or florets sessile, plants creeping Back to 146	149
149	Disc florets usually fertile, style bifid; achenes with blunt uniseriate hairs on surface; plants usually erect or decumbent	Cotula
	Disc florets sterile, style ending in circular disc; achenes glabrous; plants usually prostrate creeping herbs rooting at the nodes Back to 148	Leptinella
150	Plants dioecious (i.e. individual plants with flower heads containing either male or female florets)	151
	Plants monoecious (i.e. flower heads usually with some bisexual flowers or male and female flowers on same plant) Back to 8	154
151	Plants low-growing soft herbs	152
	Plants shrubs or undershrubs with persistent woody stems Back to 150	153
152	Achenes glabrous, dimorphic; pappus persistent; outer involucral bracts scarious	Parantennaria
	Achenes with appressed hairs; pappus not persistent; outer involucral bracts papery white at tip Back to 151	Ewartia
153	Flower heads terminal, solitary; leaves sessile	Cratystylis
	Flower heads in panicles; leaves petiolate Back to 151	Baccharis
154	Leaves crowded, spathulate, indented at apex and clasping stem	Facelis
	Leaves not as above Back to 150	155
155	Pappus a cup or scales; margin of scales sometimes hair-like and feathery	156
	Pappus of simple, barbed or feathery bristles Back to 154	160
156	Receptacle scales present	Ammobium
	Receptacle scales absent Back to 155	157
157	Achenes densely hairy	158
	Achenes glabrous or with short globose hairs Back to 156	159
158	Tufted herb; flower heads basal, sessile, densely crowded amongst long linear leaves	Isoetopsis
	Decumbent to ascending herb; flower heads terminal, pedunculate, overtopping short linear leaves Back to 157	Elachanthus
159	Leaves deeply dissected to pinnate; ray floret ligulate, solitary, yellow; pappus scales darkly striated at apex	Schkuhria
	Leaves entire; ray florets absent; pappus scales not darkly striated at apex Back to 157	Rutidosis
160	Shrubs with persistent woody stems	161
	Annual or perennial herbs, rarely subshrubs with a short woody base Back to 155	165
161	Branches spine-tipped	Acanthocladium
	Branches not spine-tipped Back to 160	162
162	Flower heads with outer fertile female florets surrounding bisexual or functionally male florets	163
	Flower heads with all florets similar Back to 161	164
163	Female florets uniseriate; inner florets fertile, producing achenes	Olearia
	Female florets multiseriate; inner florets functionally male, not producing achenes Back to 162	Pluchea
164	Tips of involucral bracts straight to incurved; receptacle with scales	Cassinia
	Tips of involucral bracts spreading; receptacle lacking scales Back to 162	Ozothamnus
165	Ray florets with small ligules	166
	Ray florets absent or lacking ligules Back to 160	175
166	Outer involucral bracts sessile; inner bracts with scarious lamina on longer more or less herbaceous to hardened claws	Podolepis
	Outer involucral bracts not differing markedly from the inner ones; inner bracts lacking claws Back to 165	167
167	Ligules and disc florets all yellow	168
	Ligules white to blue, purple or pink; disc florets usually a contrasting colour, typically yellow or violet Back to 166	170
168	Dwarf shrub with terete more or less succulent leaves	Kippistia
	Herbs with flat non-succulent leaves Back to 167	169
169	Annual, sticky and aromatic due to glandular hairs; anthers tailed at the base	Solidago
	Perennial with rhizomes, non-glandular; anthers obtuse at the base Back to 168	Dittrichia
170	Achenes with long neck	Ixiochlamys
	Achenes lacking a long neck Back to 167	171
171	Disc florets sterile, producing abortive achenes	Minuria
	Disc florets fertile Back to 170	172
172	Involucral bracts a dark purple-brown, with white margins	Dichromochlamys
	Involucral bracts green Back to 171	173
173	Flower heads numerous in panicles	Conyza
	Flower heads solitary or in loose groups of 2–4 Back to 172	174
174	Involucral bracts reflexed in fruit; disc florets yellow; achenes flattened	Erigeron
	Involucral bracts not reflexed in fruit; disc florets purple; achenes terete Back to 173	Streptoglossa
175	Leaves serrate to dissected or lobed	176
	Leaves entire Back to 165	180
176	Inner involucral bracts with fringed apices, far exceeded by the florets	Rhaponticum
	Inner involucral bracts with entire apices, subequal to the florets Back to 175	177
177	Fertile achenes lacking a pappus of bristles (aborted achenes sometimes with 2–5 weak barbellate bristles)	Epaltes
	Achenes with a pappus of free bristles Back to 176	178
178	Inner florets functionally male; achenes sterile	Pluchea
	Inner florets bisexual or functionally female, capable of producing fertile achenes Back to 177	179
179	Pappus uniseriate	Blumea
	Pappus 2-seriate; outer bristles shorter than the inner ones Back to 178	Vernonia
180	Involucral bracts (at least the outer ones) with ciliate margin	181
	Involucral bracts lacking a ciliate margin (but outer ones sometimes woolly or lacerate) Back to 175	184
181	Lamina of the involucral bracts conspicuous, petaloid, papery, white to coloured; achenes with a distinct filiform, sterile beak	Waitzia
	Lamina of the involucral bracts inconspicuous, scarious to plumose, if conspicuously petaloid and white or coloured then achenes lacking beak Back to 180	182
182	Flower heads terminal on long peduncles; not surrounded by a cluster of leaves	183
	Flower heads terminal on short branches, sessile; usually surrounded by a cluster of leaves Back to 181	Triptilodiscus
183	Corollas overhanging the margin of the involucre; achenes 3- or 4-ribbed, often with a distinct sterile beak	Leptorhynchos
	Corollas not overhanging the involucre; achenes without ribs and lacking a beak Back to 182	Chrysocephalum
184	Involucral bracts uniseriate or almost so, equal, herbaceous	Millotia
	Involucral bracts multiseriate, frequently with inner bracts longer then the outer ones, herbaceous to scarious or coloured Back to 180	185
185	Involucral bracts with lamina never petaloid, white or brightly coloured	186
	Involucral bracts with lamina petaloid, papery, white to brightly coloured Back to 184	194
186	All florets filiform	Scorzonera
	Florets tubular and filiform or all tubular Back to 185	187
187	Outer filiform florets in 2 to several whorls	188
	Filiform florets few to absent Back to 186	189
188	Flower heads sessile to subsessile in dense globose to spicate clusters, frequently subtended by a whorl of leaves; involucral bracts scarious; plants woolly, especially lower leaf surface	Gnaphalium
	Flower heads pedunculate, usually in large panicles, not subtended by a whorl of leaves; involucral bracts herbaceous, sometimes with scarious margin; plants not woolly Back to 187	Conyza
189	Creeping, aromatic herb with glandular hairs; achenes on short pedicels which persist on the receptacle; florets tubular	Podotheca
	Habit not creeping, lacking the above combination of characters Back to 187	190
190	Receptacle with scales; plant a white-tomentose aromatic herb with amplexicaul leaves	Apalochlamys
	Receptacle lacking scales; plant lacking the above combination of characters Back to 189	191
191	Pappus 2-seriate; outer bristles shorter than the inner; not fused	Cyanthillium
	Pappus uniseriate; shortly fused at the base Back to 190	192
192	Achenes with a slender sterile beak below the pappus	Leptorhynchos
	Achenes without a slender sterile beak below the pappus Back to 191	193
193	Outer bracts often extending down the peduncle, broad and membranous, the herbaceous base reduced and broadly triangular	Leptorhynchos
	Outer bracts never extending down the peduncle, linear or oblong, green and herbaceous throughout except for membranous apex Back to 192	Leiocarpa
194	Outer and inner involucral bracts uniformly scarious, never clawed; flower heads yellow	Pseudognaphalium
	Inner and intermediate involucral bracts divided into a cartilaginous-herbaceous basal claw and a conspicuous lamina; colour of bracts various Back to 185	195
195	Pappus plumose from the base (broader basal region sometimes lacks ornamentation)	196
	Pappus either barbellate from the base, or plumose only at apex, or more or less subplumose at the base and barbellate at apex Back to 194	198
196	Achenes hairy	Rhodanthe
	Achenes glabrous Back to 195	197
197	Achenes ellipsoid, verrucose; pappus persistent, eventually breaking shortly above base; leaves with more or less flat lamina	Leucochrysum
	Achenes oblong to obovoid, smooth or papillose; pappus united in a ring at the base and falling as a unit; leaves more or less terete Back to 196	Hyalosperma
198	Florets purple, at least apically	Vellereophyton
	Florets yellow Back to 195	199
199	Inflorescence a dense terminal cluster of small subsessile heads; female florets more numerous than the disc florets	Pseudognaphalium
	Inflorescence not as above; female florets less numerous than the disc florets Back to 198	200
200	Pappus bristles shortly plumose at the apex	Anemocarpa
	Pappus bristles barbellate Back to 199	201
201	Achenes prismatic, glabrous with papus yellow throughout; flower heads large, with many florets; involucral bracts numerous, all brightly coloured	Xerochrysum
	Achenes lacking the above combination of characters; flower heads usually smaller with few florets; outer involucral bracts hyaline, brownish or white Back to 200	Helichrysum
202	Involucral bracts in 1 whorl, rarely with a few much shorter bracteoles at base; often slightly fused at base	203
	Involucral bracts in 2 to several whorls, usually free Back to 10	206
203	Pappus scale-like; heads solitary on long scape	Gazania
	Pappus of hairs; heads usually in terminal clusters, rarely solitary on long scapes Back to 202	204
204	Leaves palmately veined; woody shrubs	Roldana
	Plants lacking the above combination of characters Back to 203	205
205	Achenes not compressed	Senecio
	Achenes, at least those of the ray florets, compressed Back to 204	Cineraria
206	Receptacle with scales	207
	Receptacle rough or pitted but without scales Back to 202	211
207	Plants usually more than 1 m high and with 1 to several erect branches	208
	Plants with basal rootstock, somewhat branched and with branches shorter than 50 cm long Back to 206	210
208	Leaves deeply divided	Tithonia
	Leaves entire or toothed Back to 207	209
209	Pappus of short bristles; apex of ligule of florets lobed or distinctly toothed	Verbesina
	Pappus of non-persistent scales; apex of ligule of florets scarcely toothed Back to 208	Helianthus
210	Ligules of ray florets scarcely longer than involucral bracts	Glossogyne
	Ligules large and spectacular, much longer than involucral bracts Back to 207	Gaillardia
211	Involucral bracts fused into tube	Gazania
	Involucral bracts in several rows, free Back to 206	212
212	Leaves, at least some of them, divided or lobed	213
	Leaves entire or toothed Back to 211	216
213	Ray florets female, fertile	214
	Ray florets sterile Back to 212	215
214	Achenes with 3 wing-like ridges on one side; pappus of pinkish scales	Arctotis
	Achenes variously ribbed but lacking wing-like ridges; pappus of white to brownish bristles Back to 213	Vittadinia
215	Pappus double; outer obovate scales, inner bristles	Ursinia
	Pappus of small scales Back to 213	Arctotheca
216	Inner involucral bracts dry and membranous, with or without an herbaceous base	217
	All involucral bracts herbaceous or sometimes with dry membranous margin Back to 212	218
217	Achenes abruptly constricted below a short neck below the broader apex	Dittrichia
	Achenes ellipsoid to cylindrical Back to 216	Podolepis
218	Ray florets in 2 or more rows	219
	Ray florets in 1 row Back to 216	228
219	Achenes with a long neck	Ixiochlamys
	Achenes lacking a long neck Back to 218	220
220	Tubular florets sterile; sterile achenes with pappus of long free barbellate bristles and shorter bristles often fused into scales or a cup	Minuria
	All florets fertile (but not always, producing achenes); pappus not as above Back to 219	221
221	Involucral bracts of fruiting flower heads clasping; dark purple brown with white margins	Dichromochlamys
	Involucral bracts of fruiting flower heads spreading or recurved; herbaceous, with or without a scarious margin Back to 220	222
222	Ligules absent or inconspicuous i.e. more or less as long as pappus; flower heads numerous, in panicles	223
	Ligules exceeding the pappus; flower heads usually solitary or in loose groups of 2–4 Back to 221	224
223	Plant glabrous; involucral bracts tinged purple at apex and margins	Aster
	Plant pubescent to scabrous, at least on the upper stem; if glabrous then with a purple spot at the apex of the involucral bracts Back to 222	Conyza
224	Corolla of disc florets as long as or longer than the pappus, persisting	Camptacra
	Corolla of disc florets usually as long as or shorter than the pappus, not persisting Back to 222	225
225	Plant glabrous	Aster
	Plant pubescent to scabrous Back to 224	226
226	Achenes variously hairy but always with a basal tuft of hairs; base of corolla swollen around swollen style base; style branches flattened, with triangular appendages	Erigeron
	Achenes variously hairy but lacking a basal tuft of hairs; base of corolla not swollen; style branches not as above Back to 225	227
227	Receptacle convex; achenes always with a basal tuft of hairs, bristles free	Vittadinia
	Receptacle flat; achenes hairy but lacking a basal tuft of hairs, bristles joined at the base Back to 226	Streptoglossa
228	Pappus double row of bristles; inner long, barbellate; outer short and inconspicuous; brick red to rust coloured	Heterotheca
	Pappus lacking the above combination of characters Back to 218	229
229	Plants more or less resinous; involucral bracts 4–8-seriate, graduated, more or less indurated, middle and outer with spreading green tips	Grindelia
	Plants lacking the above combination of characters Back to 228	230
230	Pappus of scales and/or awns or absent	231
	Pappus 1 or 2 rows of barbellate bristles Back to 229	232
231	Pappus of rigid, usually barbed awns, often alternating with scales, occasionally an entire scarious collar, or rarely absent; achene faces sometimes hairy but not enveloped in wool; plants not fleshy, leaves variously hairy but not tomentose	Calotis
	Pappus of scales; achenes enveloped in wool; plants fleshy, leaves tomentose, especially on lower surface Back to 230	Arctotheca
232	Pappus less than a quarter as long as the achenes	Brachyscome
	Pappus about as long as achenes or longer Back to 230	233
233	Herbs with a basal rosette	Celmisia
	Shrubs and subshrubs; if herbaceous, lacking a basal rosette Back to 232	234
234	Perennial with seasonal stems arising from a woody rootstock; corolla of disc florets persisting on mature achenes; anther appendages lanceolate, with central strand of darker tissue	Camptacra
	Shrubs and undershrubs; corolla of disc florets not persisting on mature achenes; anther appendages acute, lacking central strand of darker tissue Back to 233	Olearia
235	Achenes drawn into short beak	Lagenophora
	Achenes abruptly truncated at apex Back to 10	236
236	Receptacle with scales	237
	Receptacles naked Back to 235	240
237	Flower heads small and in terminal clusters	Achillea
	Flower heads larger and individually stalked or solitary Back to 236	238
238	Leaves lobed to almost entire	Cymbonotus
	Leaves deeply divided Back to 237	239
239	Receptacle scales longer than outer florets, becoming hardened with age	Erodiophyllum
	Receptacle scales shorter than florets Back to 238	Anthemis
240	All florets producing achenes	241
	Only outer florets producing achenes Back to 236	250
241	Achenes from outer and inner florets different	242
	Achenes all alike Back to 240	245
242	At least inner achenes curved to C-shaped	Calendula
	All achenes straight or almost so Back to 241	243
243	Annuals covered with glandular hairs	Dimorphotheca
	Perennials without glandular hairs Back to 242	244
244	Ligules pale to golden yellow, rarely white but then usually yellow toward base	Glebionis
	Ligules completely white Back to 243	Leucanthemum
245	Receptacle flat, ray florets yellow; leaves grey-white, tomentose beneath, less hairy and more or less green above	Cymbonotus
	Receptacle convex to conical, ray florets various; leaves concolorous, green Back to 241	246
246	Achenes triquetrous; inner surface with 3 ribs; outer surface wrinkled, with 2 glands at apex; pappus a small crenulate corona; leaves mostly 3-pinnatisect, feathery in appearance	Tripleurospermum
	Achenes lacking the above combination of characters; leaves various Back to 245	247
247	Plants aromatic, with chamomile-like odour; involucral bracts thinly scarious with expanded obtuse apices	248
247	Plants sometimes with sparse glands but never aromatic; involucral bracts usually with narrow scarious hyaline margins	249
248	Perennial with rhizomes; flower heads in dense compound corymbs	Tanacetum
	Annual; flower heads in loose cymes Back to 247	Matricaria
249	Plant a shrub; involucral bracts in 1 row, fused below; ligules yellow	Euryops
	Plant lacking the above combination of characters Back to 247	Brachyscome
250	Achenes with fleshy outer tissue	Chrysanthemoides
	Achenes all dry Back to 240	251
251	Achenes with prominent wings	Osteospermum
	Achenes without wings Back to 250	Grindelia

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