Asterids – Part 1“Basal” Asterids, Lamiids

Spring 2012

Fig. 8.1

Asterid characters

• Molecular data• Sympetalous corollas• Epipetalous stamens• Number of stamens = number of

petals• Ovules with a single integument and a thin

nucellus (reduction from two integuments)• Iridoid compounds

Asterid characters

Sympetaly and epipetalous stamens

# stamens = # petals

Unitegmic,tenuinucellateovules

Fig. 8.83

Asterid taxa“Basal” Asterids

Order Cornales – dogwoods Order Ericales – azaleas, blueberries, cranberries

LamiidsOrder Solanales – potatoes, tomatoes, peppersOrder Gentianales – gentians, milkweeds, coffeeOrder Lamiales – mints, olives, snapdragons

CampanulidsOrder Apiales – ginseng, carrots, dill, parsleyOrder Dipsacales – honeysuckle, elderberryOrder Asterales – bluebells, sunflowers

Core Asterids

Asterid taxa – Part 1“Basal” Asterids

Order CornalesCornaceae – dogwoods

Order EricalesEricaceae – blueberries, heaths

LamiidsOrder Gentianales

*Apocynaceae – dogbanes, milkweedsRubiaceae – coffee, quinine

Order Solanales*Solanaceae – potatoes, tomatoes, pepper

Order Lamiales

Campanulids (Part 2)

*family required for recognition

“Basal” Asterids:

Cornales: Cornaceae(The Dogwood Family)

• Widespread, especially common in north temperate regions• Usually trees or shrubs; leaves usually opposite, usually entire, with

secondary veins smoothly arching toward leaf margins (arcuate venation)

• Diversity: 80-85 species in ca. 2 genera• Flowers: Sepals & petals 4-5; stamens 4-10, pollen apertures with

an H-shaped thin region; carpels usually 2 or 3, connate, inferior ovary; fruit a drupe, the pit winged or ridged

• Significant features: Nectar disk on top of the ovary; inflorescences sometimes with showy bracts

• Special uses: Ornamentals such as (Cornus) and tupelo (Nyssa)• Family not required

CornaceaeDavidia

Nyssa(tupelo)

Cornaceae: Cornus

-shrubs, trees or herbs with usually opposite simple leaves-flowers small, in open cymes or in close heads surrounded by petal-like bracts (false flowers)-calyx minutely 4-toothed-petals 4, stamens 4-fruit a small drupe

“Basal” Asterids:

Ericales: Ericaceae(The Heath or Blueberry Family)

• Cosmopolitan; most diverse in montane habitats in E. Asia, E North America, S Africa, Australia. Favor acid soils; sunny or part-shaded habitats

• Trees, shrubs, lianas, occasionally mycoparasitic herbs lacking chlorophyll; leaves usually alternate and spiral

• Diversity: 4,100 species in 124 genera• Flowers: Often showy. Sepals 4-5; petals 4-5, connate forming a

cylindrical to urn-shaped corolla; stamens (3) 8-10; anthers inverted, often with appendages, and poricidal dehiscence, pollen grains often in tetrads; carpels 2-10, connate, superior to inferior ovary; fruit a septic. or loculic. capsule, berry, drupe

• Significant features: anthers often with poricidal dehiscence & sometimes with appendages; leaves often coriaceous

• Special uses: blueberries & cranberries (Vaccinium), Rhododendron and allies (Rhododendron, Erica, Kalmia, Pieris) are showy ornamentals

• Family not required

Ericaceae anthers (Fig. 8.89)

Ericaceae: Rhododendron-shrubs or small trees with deciduous or evergreen leaves-flowers developed from scaly buds, mostly 5-merous-corolla deciduous-stamens usually 2x the number of corolla lobes; anthers with poricidal dehiscence-ovary superior-fruit a septicidal capsule

Sarraceniaceae—another origin of carnivory by pitchers

Asterid taxa – Part 1“Basal” Asterids

Order CornalesCornaceae – dogwoods

Order EricalesEricaceae – blueberries, heaths

LamiidsOrder Gentianales

*Apocynaceae – dogbanes, milkweedsRubiaceae – coffee, quinine

Order Solanales*Solanaceae – potatoes, tomatoes, pepper

Order Lamiales

Campanulids (Part 2)

*family required for recognition

Lamiids:

Gentianales: Apocynaceae(The Milkweed Family; incl. Asclepiadaceae)

• Widespread in tropical and subtropical regions; some in temperate regions

• Trees, shrubs, herbs, lianas, vines with laticifers and usually milky sap

• Diversity: ca. 4,600 species in ca. 400 genera• Flowers: Sepals usu. 5; petals usu. 5, connate forming bell- funnel- or

tubular-shaped corolla; stamens usually 5, filaments always adnate to the corolla, anthers distinct or connate and forming a ring to fused to the stylar head; staminal outgrowths (corona) often present and petal-like; carpels usually 2, connate by styles/stigmas only & ovaries distinct to fully connate, superior ovary; apex of style expanded and highly modified, forming a 5-sided stylar head, secreting viscin; fruits often paired, each ovary developing into a dry follicle, drupe or berry

• Significant features: Usually opposite leaves; pollen in sticky masses (w/ viscin) or in pollinia; seeds flattened, often with a tuft of hairs

• Special uses: Some chemical uses (e.g., Catharanthus, “Madagascar periwinkle”) and ornamentals (Asclepias, Vinca, Plumeria, Nerium)

• Required taxa: Asclepias

anther views

pairedfruits

separateovaries G: stylar head

Apocynaceae – Groups without pollinia

Plumeria

Nerium oleander

Vinca

Apocynum

Catharanthus

Thevetia

corona

pair of pollinia

Apocynaceae with pollinia (Asclepiadoideae)

Asclepias

Stapelia

Ceropegia

Hoya

Calotropus

Apocynaceae: Asclepias-plants herbaceous, stems erect to leaning-leaves usually opposite, sometimes alternate or whorled-inflorescence an umbel-corona of 5 hooded fleshy bodies, each usually with an incurved horn but lacking a crest-pollen in pollinia, the pollinia suspended-fruit a dry, ovoid or lanceolate follicle, one of the pair often aborting

Lamiids:

Gentianales: Rubiaceae(The Coffee or Madder Family)

• Cosmopolitan, most diverse in the tropics and subtropical regions• Trees, shrubs lianas or herbs, vines, shrubs; leaves opposite or

whorled • Diversity: Ca. 12,000 species in ca. 600 genera• Flowers: usually bisexual and radial; sepals 4-5, connate; petals 4-5,

connate, forming a funnel shaped corolla; stamens usually 4 or 5, adnate to corolla; carpels usually 2 (-5), connate, inferior ovary; fruit a loculicidal or septicidal capsule, berry, drupe, or schizocarp

• Significant features: interpetiolar stipules (connate stipules)• Special uses: Major commodity is coffee (Coffea); anti-malarial drug

obtained from the bark of Cinchona (quinine); ipecac (make-U-vomit) comes from Psychotria; gardenias (Gardenia), Pentas, and Ixora provide ornamentals

• Family not required

Rubiaceae

interpetiolar stipules

Rubiaceae

Coffea arabica

Pentas

Rubiaceae: Galium (bedstraw)

-stems 4-angled-slender herbs with whorled leaves-flowers small, in cymes-calyx teeth obsolete-corolla rotate-stamens 4 (rarely 3)-1 ovule per locule, the 2 carpels separating when ripe

Lamiids:

Solanales: Solanaceae(The Potato or Nightshade Family)

• Widespread but most diverse in the neotropics• Herbs, shrubs, trees, vines; leaves alternate; often with a

‘solanaceous smell’• Diversity: 2,450 species in 91-102 genera• Flowers: Sepals 5, connate; petals 5, connate, forming variously

tubular corolla, plicate (folded) ; stamens 5, filaments adnate to corolla, sometimes anthers connivant; carpels usually 2 (-5), connate, oriented obliquely to the median plane of the flower; superior ovary; fruit usually a berry (occ. a capsule, schizocarp or nutlet)

• Significant features: Complex chemistry with solanacous tropane alkaloids (belladonna/atropine, nicotine, capsaicin, etc.); stems with internal phloem

• Special uses: Many fruits and vegetables (potatoes & tomatoes - Solanum, peppers - Capsicum), tobacco (Nicotiana), some ornamentals (Petunia)

• Required taxa: Petunia, Solanum

Solanaceae diversity

Solanaceae: Solanum

-herbs or shrubs-corolla regular, rotate, 5-merous, deeply lobed-anthers forming a tube around the style (connivent), with terminal openings; filaments short-fruit a berry, usually 2-locular-ca. 1,400 species, mostly tropical

Solanaceae: Petunia

-herbs with upper leaves tending to become opposite-corolla slightly irregular, a little bilabiate, funnelform or salverform-stamens unequal, 1 much smaller than the others

SolanaceaeEconomic plants and products:

• Edibles:• Cayenne pepper (Capsicum)• Eggplant (Solanum)• Green pepper (Capsicum)• Red pepper (Capsicum)• Potato (Solanum)• Tomato (Solanum)

Solanaceae

Economic plants and products:

• Medicinal/toxic plants ~ Alkaloids!

• Belladona (Atropa)• Henbane (Hyoscyamus)• Jimson-weed (Datura)• Nightshade (Solanum)• Mandrake (Mandragora)• Tobacco (Nicotiana)

Fig. 8.83

Lamiales

-gland-headed hairs-diacytic stomates-oligosaccharides (instead of starch)-anther anatomy-protein inclusions in the nuclei of mesophyll cells-endosperm with a micropylar haustorium-molecular data-ca. 22 families and 20,000 species

Major Families of Lamiales

• *Lamiaceae – mints • Oleaceae – olives, ashes, lilacs• Orobanchaceae – louseworts, beechdrops, Indian

paintbrushes• Plantaginaceae – snapdragons, vervains,

penstemons• Scrophulariaceae – mulleins, figworts

*family required for recognition

Lamiids:

Lamiales: Lamiaceae(The Mint Family; Labiatae)

• Cosmopolitan• Herbs, shrubs, trees; stems square in herbaceous taxa• Diversity: Ca. 6,800 species in 236-238 genera• Flowers: Sepals 5, connate, calyx radial or bilateral; petals 5, connate,

bilabiate; stamens 4, didynamous to more or less equal; carpels 2, 2 ovules per carpel, connate, styles terminal to an often gynobasic, superior, often deeply 4-lobed ovary; fruit a drupe w/ 1-4 pits, an indehiscent 4-seeded pod, or a schizocarp splitting into 4 nutlets or drupelets

• Significant features: Opposite leaves (usually); aromatic volatile compounds - mint oils; inflorescences with main axis indeterminate and determinate (cymose) lateral axes, these often congested into pseudowhorls (verticillasters)

• Special uses: Many herbs: oregano (Origanum), basil (Basilicum), peppermint/spearmint (Mentha), sage (Salvia), thyme (Thymus); teak wood (Tectona); ornamentals (e.g., Salvia, Callicarpa)

• Required taxa: Salvia

Lamiaceae

Stachys floridana

• Ovary: • 2-carpellate• deeply 4-lobed• 4 locules

• Gynobasic style• Schizocarp (4

nutlets)

• Corolla: • zygomorphic• sympetalous• bilabiate

• Stamens: • 4, didynamous• epipetalous

• Square stems (herbaceous taxa)• Opposite leaves• Inflorescence: false whorls

(verticils or verticillasters)

FromZomlefer

LamiaceaeNepeta

OcimumPhytostegia

Clinopodium

Note verticillate whorls of flowers at each node

RosmarinusMonarda

Lamiaceae: Salvia

-calyx bilabiate, its lower lip 2-lobed-corolla strongly bilabiate-anther-bearing stamens 2, ascending and parallel, the upper pair lacking or rudimentary-anther with an elongate filament-like connective articulated with the filament-ovary deeply 4-parted

Lamiaceae

Economic plants and products:

Condiments & perfumes:• Basil (Ocimum)• Lavender (Lavandula)• Oregano (Origanum)• Peppermint (Mentha)• Rosemary (Rosmarinus)• Sage (Salvia)• Spearmint (Mentha)• Thyme (Thymus)

Mentha

LamiaceaeEconomic plants and products:

Ornamental plants:• Beautyberry (Callicarpa)• Coleus (Coleus)• Salvia (Salvia)

Lamiids:

Lamiales: Oleaceae(The Olive Family)

• Widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions.• Trees, shrubs (lianas) with usually opposite leaves• Diversity: Ca. 700 species in 24 genera• Flowers: Often small but can be showy; sepals & petals 4,

connate; stamens 2 (-4), filaments adnate to corolla; carpels 2, connate, superior ovary; fruit a loculicidal or circumcissile capsule, berry, drupe

• Significant features: Tetramerous flowers, peltate secretory trichomes

• Special uses: Olives (Olea) used for fruits and oil; jasmine (Jasminum) used for flavoring and perfumery; ornamentals: lilac (Syringa), ash (Fraxinus), privet (Ligustrum), Forsythia

• Family not required

Oleaceae

Olea europaea

SyringaForsythia

Chionanthus

Oleaceae: Fraxinus

-trees or shrubs-leaves usually pinnately compound-flowers small, usually unisexual-petals 4 or lacking-fruit a dry indehiscent samara

Oleaceae: Syringa

-upright shrubs-leaves simple-inflorescences paniculate-corolla salverform, lilac to pink or white-fruit a loculicidal capsule

Lamiids:

Lamiales: Orobanchaceae(The Broomrape Family)

• Nearly cosmopolitan• Herbs, hemiparasitic or holoparasitic (lacking

chlorophyll), often black or dark colored when dry• Diversity: Ca. 2100 species in 96-99 genera• Flowers: Sepals 5, connate; petals 5, connate, the

corolla 2-lipped; stamens 4, didynamous, adnate to the corolla; carpels 2, connate, superior ovary; fruit a loculicidal or septicidal capsule

• Significant features: Haustorial connections to terrestrial plant roots

• Family not required

Orobanchaceae diversity

Epifagus – beechdrops

Conopholis

Agalinis

PedicularisStriga

Orobanchaceae: Castilleja

-hemiparasitic herbs with alternate leaves-inflorescences with colorful, showy bracts more conspicuous than the flowers themselves-calyx tubular-anther locules unequal and separated

Lamiids:

Lamiales: Plantaginaceae(The Snapdragon Family)

• Nearly cosmopolitan, but most diverse in temperate areas• Herbs or less commonly shrubs, often with terminal inflorescences;

leaves alternate or opposite• Diversity: Ca. 1,820 species in 101 genera• Flowers: Usually bisexual and bilateral, but + radial in Plantago;

sepals 4-5, connate; petals 5 (or appearing to be 4 due to fusion of 2 upper lobes), connate, usually with a 2-lipped corolla; stamens usually 4 (2), with filaments adnate to corolla; carpels 2, connate, superior ovary; fruit a septicidal capsule or schizocarp of 2 achenes

• Significant features: floral zygomorphy; special type of glandular hair• Special uses: Many ornamentals (Antirrhinum, Penstemon, Veronica,

Linaria); medical foxglove (Digitalis)• Family not required

Plantaginaceae

Linaria

Antirrhinum

Collinsia

Digitalis

Penstemon

Penstemon

Plantaginaceae: Plantago

-usually “stemless” herbs (rosettes)-leaves with parallel venation-flowers 4-merous, radial, wind- pollinated-corolla much reduced-stamens 4, filaments long exserted

Plantaginaceae: Veronica

-usually herbaceous, annuals or perennials-leaves usually opposite-flowers relatively small-corolla rotate, not bilabiate but somewhat zygomorphic-stamens 2

Lamiids:

Lamiales: Scrophulariaceae(The Figwort Family)

• Widely distributed in temperate to tropical regions• Herbs (shrubs) with terminal inflorescences• Diversity: 1,680 species in 52 genera• Flowers: Sepals 3-5, connate; petals 4-5, connate, corolla bilabiate or

tubular with flaring lobes, typically showing zygomorphy but sometimes actinomorphic; stamens, 5, 4, or 2, with filaments adnate to corolla; anther sacs usually confluent and opening by a single distal slit oriented at right angles to the filament or more or less U-shaped; carpels 2, connate, superior ovary; fruit a septicidal capsule, drupe or schizocarp of achenes or druplets

• Significant features: floral zygomorphy; anther openings• Special uses: Many ornamentals (Buddleja, Nemesia, Scrophularia)• Family not required

Scrophulariaceae

Scrophularia Buddleja

SuteraLeucophyllum

Scrophulariaceae: Verbascum

-tall, usually hairy biennial herbs-stem leaves sessile, often decurrent-inflorescences terminal spikes, racemes or panicles-corolla 5-lobed, rotate, tube short, only slightly bilateral-stamens 5, all fertile, 3 or all of the filaments hairy

Other cool Lamiales

Lentibulariaceae –more carnivorous plants

Bignoniaceae

Gesneriaceae