List of Asteraceae of South Africa explained

Asteraceae or Compositae is a family of flowering plants (anthophytes) in the order Asterales. Asteraceae (commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family), is a very large and widespread family, which includes over 32,000 currently accepted species, in over 1,900 genera (list) in 13 subfamilies. In terms of numbers of species, the Asteraceae are rivaled only by the Orchidaceae. Nearly all Asteraceae bear their flowers in dense heads (capitula or pseudanthia) surrounded by involucral bracts. When viewed from a distance, each capitulum may appear to be a single flower. Enlarged outer (peripheral) flowers in the capitula may resemble petals, and the involucral bracts may look like a calyx. The name Asteraceae comes from the type genus Aster, from the Ancient Greek, meaning star, and refers to the star-like form of the inflorescence. The alternative name Compositae is still valid under the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. It refers to the "composite" nature of the capitula, which consist of a few or many individual flowers.

Most members of Asteraceae are annual or perennial herbs, but a significant number are also shrubs, vines, or trees. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, with species ranging from subpolar to tropical regions, colonizing a wide variety of habitats. The largest proportion of the species occur in the arid and semiarid regions of subtropical and lower temperate latitudes.

23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.

The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).

329 genera are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.

Acanthospermum

Genus Acanthospermum:

Acanthotheca

Genus Acanthotheca:

Achillea

Genus Achillea:

Achyrocline

Genus Achyrocline:

Acmella

Genus Acmella:

Adenachaena

Genus Adenachaena:

Adenanthellum

Genus Adenanthellum:

Adenoglossa

Genus Adenoglossa:

Adenostemma

Genus Adenostemma:

Afroaster

Genus Afroaster:

Ageratina

Genus Ageratina:

Ageratum

Genus Ageratum:

Alatoseta

Genus Alatoseta:

Alciope

Genus Alciope:

Ambrosia

Genus Ambrosia:

Amellus

Genus Amellus:

Amphiglossa

Genus Amphiglossa:

Anaglypha

Genus Anaglypha:

Anaxeton

Genus Anaxeton:

Anderbergia

Genus Anderbergia:

Anisochaeta

Genus Anisochaeta:

Anisopappus

Genus Anisopappus:

Anisothrix

Genus Anisothrix:

Anthemis

Genus Anthemis:

Antithrixia

Genus Antithrixia:

Aphelexis

Genus Aphelexis:

Arctotheca

Genus Arctotheca:

Arctotis

Genus Arctotis:

Argyrocome

Genus Argyrocome:

Arnica

Genus Arnica:

Arrowsmithia

Genus Arrowsmithia:

Artemisia

Genus Artemisia:

Artemisiopsis

Genus Artemisiopsis:

Ascaricida

Genus Ascaricida:

Aspilia

Genus Aspilia:

Aster

Genus Aster:

Athanasia

Genus Athanasia:

Athrixia

Genus Athrixia:

Atractylis

Genus Atractylis:

Atrichantha

Genus Atrichantha:

Baccharis

Genus Baccharis:

Baccharoides

Genus Baccharoides:

Berkheya

Genus Berkheya:

Bertilia

Genus Bertilia:

Bidens

Genus Bidens:

Blainvillea

Genus Blainvillea:

Blumea

Genus Blumea:

Bolandia

Genus Bolandia:

Bothriocline

Genus Bothriocline:

Brachylaena

Genus Brachylaena:

Brachymeris

Genus Brachymeris:

Brachyrhynchos

Genus Brachyrhynchos:

Bryomorphe

Genus Bryomorphe:

Cacalia

Genus Cacalia:

Cadiscus

Genus Cadiscus:

Calendula

Genus Calendula:

Callilepis

Genus Callilepis:

Calostephane

Genus Calostephane:

Calotesta

Genus Calotesta:

Campuloclinium

Genus Campuloclinium:

Candidea

Genus Candidea:

Capelio

Genus Capelio:

Caputia

Genus Caputia:

Carduus

Genus Carduus:

Carthamus

Genus Carthamus:

Castalis

Genus Castalis:

Cenia

Genus Cenia:

Centaurea

Genus Centaurea:

Centipeda

Genus Centipeda:

Centrapalus

Genus Centrapalus:

Chondrilla

Genus Chondrilla:

Chromolaena

Genus Chromolaena:

Chrysanthellum

Genus Chrysanthellum:

Chrysanthemoides

Genus Chrysanthemoides:

Chrysanthemum

Genus Chrysanthemum:

Chrysocoma

Genus Chrysocoma:

Cineraria

Genus Cineraria:

Cirsium

Genus Cirsium:

Cnicus

Genus Cnicus:

Comborhiza

Genus Comborhiza:

Conyza

Genus Conyza:

Corymbium

Genus Corymbium:

Cosmos

Genus Cosmos:

Cotula

Genus Cotula:

Crassocephalum

Genus Crassocephalum:

Crassothonna

Genus Crassothonna:

Crepis

Genus Crepis:

Cullumia

Genus Callumia:

Curio

Genus Curio:

Cuspidia

Genus Cuspidia:

Cyanthillium

Genus Cyanthillium:

Cymbopappus

Genus Cymbopappus:

Cypselodontia

Genus Cypselodontia:

Decaneurum

Genus Decaneurum:

Delairea

Genus Delairea:

Denekia

Genus Denekia:

Dicerothamnus

Genus Dicerothamnus:

Dichrocephala

Genus Dichrocephala:

Dicoma

Genus Dicoma:

Didelta

Genus Didelta:

Dimorphanthes

Genus Dimorphanthes:

Dimorphotheca

Genus Dimorphotheca:

Disparago

Genus Disparago:

Distephanus

Genus Distephanus:

Dittrichia

Genus Dittrichia:

Doellia

Genus Doellia:

Dolichothrix

Genus Dolichothrix:

Doria

Genus Doria:

Doronicum

Genus Doronicum:

Dymondia

Genus Dymondia:

Eclipta

Genus Eclipta:

Edmondia

Genus Edmondia:

Elephantopus

Genus Elephantopus:

Elytropappus

Genus Elytropappus:

Emilia

Genus Emilia:

Enydra

Genus Enydra:

Erigeron

Genus Erigeron:

Eriocephalus

Genus Eriocephalus:

Erlangia

Genus Erlangia:

Eschenbachia

Genus Eschenbachia:

Ethulia

Genus Ethulia:

Eumorphia

Genus Eumorphia:

Eupatorium

Genus Eupatorium:

Euryops

Genus Euryops:

Facelis

Genus Facelis:

Felicia

Genus Felicia:

Flaveria

Genus Flaveria:

Foveolina

Genus Foveolina:

Gaillardia

Genus Gaillardia:

Galeomma

Genus Galeomma:

Galinsoga

Genus Galinsoga:

Gamochaeta

Genus Gamochaeta:

Garuleum

Genus Garuleum:

Gazania

Genus Gazania:

Geigeria

Genus Geigeria:

Gerbera

Genus Gerbera:

Gibbaria

Genus Gibbaria:

Glebionis

Genus Glebionis:

Gnaphalium

Genus Gnaphalium:

Gongrothamnus

Genus Gongrothamnus:

Gongyloglossa

Genus Gongyloglossa:

Gorteria

Genus Gorteria:

Grangea

Genus Grangea:

Guizotia

Genus Guizotia:

Gymnanthemum

Genus Gymnanthemum:

Gymnodiscus

Genus Gymnodiscus:

Gymnopentzia

Genus Gymnopentzia:

Gymnostephium

Genus Gymnostephium:

Haplocarpha

Genus Haplocarpha:

Hedypnois

Genus Hedypnois:

Helianthus

Genus Helianthus:

Helichrysopsis

Genus Helichrysopsis:

Helichrysum

Genus Helichrysum:

Helminthotheca

Genus Helminthotheca:

Hertia

Genus Hertia:

Heterolepis

Genus Heterolepis:

Heteromma

Genus Heteromma:

Heterorhachis

Genus Heterorhachis:

Hilliardia

Genus Hilliardia:

Hilliardiella

Genus Hilliardiella:

Hippia

Genus Hippia:

Hirpicium

Genus Hirpicium:

Hoplophyllum

Genus Hoplophyllum:

Hydroidea

Genus Hydroidea:

Hymenolepis

Genus Hymenolepis:

Hyoseris

Genus Hyoseris:

Hypericophyllum

Genus Hypericophyllum:

Hypochaeris

Genus Hypochaeris:

Ifloga

Genus Ifloga:

Inezia

Genus Inezia:

Inula

Genus Inula:

Inulanthera

Genus Inulanthera:

Inuloides

Genus Inuloides:

Iocaste

Genus Iocaste:

Keringa

Genus Keringa:

Kleinia

Genus Kleinia:

Klenzea

Genus Klenzea:

Lachnospermum

Genus Lachnospermum:

Lactuca

Genus Lactuca:

Laevicarpa

Genus Laevicarpa:

Laggera

Genus Laggera:

Lamprocephalus

Genus Lamprocephalus:

Langebergia

Genus Langebergia:

Lapsana

Genus Lapsana:

Lasiopogon

Genus Lasiopogon:

Lasiopus

Genus Lasiopus:

Lasiospermum

Genus Lasiospermum:

Launaea

Genus Launaea:

Lepidostephium

Genus Lepidostephium:

Leptilon

Genus Leptilon:

Leucanthemum

Genus Leucanthemum:

Leucoptera

Genus Leucoptera:

Leysera

Genus Leysera:

Lidbeckia

Genus Lidbeckia:

Linzia

Genus Linzia:

Litogyne

Genus Litogyne:

Lopholaena

Genus Lopholaena:

Macledium

Genus Macledium:

Macowania

Genus Macowania:

Mairia

Genus Mairia:

Mantisalca

Genus Mantisalca:

Marasmodes

Genus Marasmodes:

Marsea

Genus Marsea:

Matricaria

Genus Matricaria:

Melanthera

Genus Melanthera:

Mesogramma

Genus Mesogramma:

Metalasia

Genus Metalasia:

Microglossa

Genus Microglossa:

Mikania

Genus Mikania:

Mikaniopsis

Genus Mikaniopsis:

Minurothamnus

Genus Minurothamnus:

Monoculus

Genus Monoculus:

Montanoa

Genus Montanoa:

Monticapra

Genus Monticapra:

Morysia

Genus Morysia:

Myrovernix

Genus Myrovernix:

Myxopappus

Genus Myxopappus:

Namibithamnus

Genus Namibithamnus:

Nephrotheca

Genus Nephrotheca:

Nestlera

Genus Nestlera:

Nicolasia

Genus Nicolasia:

Nidorella

Genus Nidorella:

Nolletia

Genus Nolletia:

Norlindhia

Genus Norlindhia:

Oedera

Genus Oedera:

Oldenburgia

Genus Oldenburgia:

Oligocarpus

Genus Oligocarpus:

Oligoglossa

Genus Oligoglossa:

Oligothrix

Genus Oligothrix:

Oncosiphon

Genus Oncosiphon:

Oocephala

Genus Oocephala:

Orbivestus

Genus Orbivestus:

Oreoleysera

Genus Oreoleysera:

Oresbia

Genus Oresbia:

Osmitopsis

Genus Osmitopsis:

Osteospermum

Genus Osteospermum:

Othonna

Genus Othonna:

Oxylaena

Genus Oxylaena:

Parapolydora

Genus Parapolydora:

Parthenium

Genus Parthenium:

Pechuel-loeschea

Genus Pechuel-loeschea:

Pegolettia

Genus Pegolettia:

Pentanema

Genus Pentanema:

Pentatrichia

Genus Pentatrichia:

Pentzia

Genus Pentzia:

Perdicium

Genus Perdicium:

Petalacte

Genus Petalacte:

Peyrousea

Genus Peyrousea:

Phaenocoma

Genus Phaenocoma:

Phaneroglossa

Genus Phaneroglossa:

Philyrophyllum

Genus Philyrophyllum:

Phymaspermum

Genus Phymaspermum:

Picris

Genus Picris:

Planea

Genus Planea:

Platycarpha

Genus Platycarpha:

Platycarphella

Genus Platycarphella:

Plecostachys

Genus Plecostachys:

Plectreca

Genus Plectreca:

Pluchea

Genus Pluchea:

Poecilolepis

Genus Poecilolepis:

Polyarrhena

Genus Polyarrhena:

Polydora

Genus Polydora:

Printzia

Genus Printzia:

Pseudoconyza

Genus Pseudoconyza:

Pseudognaphalium

Genus Pseudognaphalium:

Pseudopegolettia

Genus Pseudopegolettia:

Psiadia

Genus Psiadia:

Pteronia

Genus Pteronia:

Pterothrix

Genus Pterothrix:

Pulicaria

Genus Pulicaria:

Relhania

Genus Relhania:

Rennera

Genus Rennera:

Rhynchopsidium

Genus Rhynchopsidium:

Roldana

Genus Roldana:

Roodebergia

Genus Roodebergia:

Rosenia

Genus Rosenia:

Schistostephium

Genus Schistostephium:

Schkuhria

Genus Schkuhria:

Senecio

Genus Senecio:

Seneciodes

Genus Seneciodes:

Seriphium

Genus Seriphium:

Sigesbeckia

Genus Sigesbeckia:

Silybum

Genus Silybum:

Solanecio

Genus Solanecio:

Solidago

Genus Solidago:

Soliva

Genus Soliva:

Sonchus

Genus Sonchus:

Sphaeranthus

Genus Sphaeranthus:

Sphagneticola

Genus Sphagneticola:

Spilanthes

Genus Spilanthes:

Staehelina

Genus Staehelina:

Steirodiscus

Genus Steirodiscus:

Stengelia

Genus Stengelia:

Stilpnogyne

Genus Stilpnogyne:

Stoebe

Genus Stoebe:

Stomatanthes

Genus Stomatanthes:

Symphyotrichum

Genus Symphyotrichum:

Syncarpha

Genus Syncarpha:

Tagetes

Genus Tagetes:

Tanacetum

Genus Tanacetum:

Taraxacum

Genus Taraxacum:

Tarchonanthus

Genus Tarchonanthus:

Tenrhynea

Genus Tenrhynea:

Thaminophyllum

Genus Thaminophyllum:

Tithonia

Genus Tithonia:

Tolpis

Genus Tolpis:

Tragopogon

Genus Tragopogon:

Trichogyne

Genus Trichogyne:

Tridax

Genus Tridax:

Tripteris

Genus Tripteris:

Troglophyton

Genus Troglophyton:

Urospermum

Genus Urospermum:

Ursinia

Genus Ursinia:

Vellereophyton

Genus Vellereophyton:

Verbesina

Genus Verbesina:

Vernonella

Genus Vernonella:

Vernonia

Genus Vernonia:

Vernoniastrum

Genus Vernoniastrum:

Vicoa

Genus Vicoa:

Waitzia

Genus Waitzia:

Webbia

Genus Webbia:

Wedelia

Genus Wedelia:

Xanthium

Genus Xanthium:

Xenismia

Genus Xenismia:

Xeranthemum

Genus Xeranthemum:

Youngia

Genus Youngia:

Zinnia

Genus Zinnia:

Zoutpansbergia

Genus Zoutpansbergia:

Zyrphelis

Genus Zyrphelis:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Oligocarpus calendulaceus Less. Plants of the World Online Kew Science. 2021-11-12. Plants of the World Online. en.