1. Asteraceae (Compositae) - the Sunflower Family

2. Taxonomic Position:
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Asteridae
Order:Asterales
Family: Asterceae

3. Distribution Second largest family in the angiosperm
More than 900 genera and species
More than 10% of flowering plants

4. Identifying Characters
Plant mostly herb, some are climbers
Leaves usually exstipulate
Involecre bract present
Ray and disc floret present
Calyx reduce to papus or scales
Stamens epipataloiou with syngenessus anther
Ovary inferior, bicarpellary syncarpous, unilocular
Basal Placentation
Fruit cypsela

5. Morphological Features
Root: Usually tap roots but root tubers also found
Stem: Erect or prostate, rarely climbing, some time woody
Leaf: Simple some time compound
Flower: Inflorescence head or capitulate
Two types- Ray floret and disc floret
Ray floret-Present in the perifery, zygomorphic, ligulate, unisexual female flowers
Disc floret: Central position, bisexual, actinomorphic
Calyx: Modified into papus or scale leaf
Corolla: Petal 5 or three tubular in disc florets or ligulate in ray florets, gamopetalous, aestivation valvate.

6. Morphological features
Androecium: Stamen five, syngenesious, epipetalous
Gynoecium:Bicarpellary syncarpous, ovary inferior with single locule, Sigma two and bifid
Fruit: Indehiscent cypsela

13. Economical Importance
Ornamental
Edible and medicinal oils
Medicine and insecticides