The Asteraceae or Compositae, also referred to as the aster, daisy, or sunflower family, is the largest family of vascular plants. The family has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera, and 12 subfamilies. The largest genera are Senecio (1,500 species), Vernonia (1,000 species), Cousinia (600 species) and Centaurea (600 species).
The name Asteraceae is derived from the type genus Aster, which is a Greek term, meaning "star". While Compositae, an older but still valid name, means composite and refers to the characteristic inflorescence, a special type of pseudanthium found in only a few other angiosperm families. The study of this family is known as synantherology.
The name Asteraceae is derived from the type genus Aster, which is a Greek term, meaning "star". While Compositae, an older but still valid name, means composite and refers to the characteristic inflorescence, a special type of pseudanthium found in only a few other angiosperm families. The study of this family is known as synantherology.
Many economically important products come from composites, including cooking oils, lettuce, sunflower seeds, artichokes, sweetening agents, and teas. Several genera are also very popular with the horticultural community, these include marigolds, chrysanthemums, dahlias, zinnias, and heleniums. [source : Asteraceae]