Published online on 25 October 2011. Chen, Y. L., Chen, Y. S., Brouillet, L. & Semple, J. C. 2011. Astereae. Pp. 545–652 in: Wu, Z. Y., Raven, P. H. & Hong, D. Y., eds., Flora of China Volume 20–21 (Asteraceae). Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis). 8. Tribe ASTEREAE 紫菀族 zi wan zu Chen Yilin (陈艺林 Chen Yi-ling), Chen Yousheng (陈又生); Luc Brouillet, John C. Semple Herbs, perennial, sometimes annual or biennial, subshrubs, or shrubs, sometimes lianas [or trees]. Leaves usually alternate, sim- ple, margin entire, serrate, dentate, or pinnatisect, rarely pinnately lobed. Capitula radiate, sometimes disciform or rarely discoid. Phyllaries many, 1–5-seriate, imbricate or ± equal, herbaceous, membranous or subleathery, margins ± narrowly scarious. Recep- tacles flat or convex, sometimes hemispheric or conic, or rarely cup-shaped, alveolate or smooth, epaleate or rarely paleate. Ray flo- rets 1 to numerous, 1(–3)-seriate, female, laminate or finely subulate, lamina yellow, rarely orange or reddish to brownish, or white to pink, blue, or purple, apex sometimes 2- or 3-toothed, sometimes multiseriate, with reduced lamina or elaminate, reduced to tube; disk florets bisexual or functionally male, yellow or rarely white, limb cylindric, funnelform, or campanulate; anther base obtuse, rarely caudate, apical appendage ovate to lanceolate; style branches with 2 adaxial stigmatic lines, apical appendages lanceolate to triangular, abaxially pilose, adaxially glabrous. Achenes cylindric, oblong, obovoid, or oblanceoloid, not blackened, usually ribbed or veined. Pappus 1–4-seriate, of barbed or barbellate, rarely long-barbed, fine or coarse bristles, sometimes of setae or scales (all or outermost series), or absent. About 225 genera and 3,100 species: worldwide, especially in temperate areas of both hemispheres; 30 genera (three endemic, two introduced) and 237 species (112 endemic, 13 introduced) in China; one additional species (Conyza stricta) is of uncertain position. 1a. Capitula disciform or discoid. 2a. Capitula globose to rounded or oblong; involucres patelliform or hemispheric; receptacles globose to hemispheric or obconic, often swollen, or cup- or funnel-shaped peripherally, convex centrally, rarely flat or convex (Thespis); pappus absent or coroniform, rarely of 6–13 short, coarse bristles (Thespis); herbs annual, rarely perennial. 3a. Marginal floret corolla minutely tubular or absent; pappus of 6–13 short, coarse bristles; receptacles flat or convex; leaves unlobed .............................................................................................................................................. 120. Thespis 3b. Marginal floret corolla with filiform tube and/or lamina present; pappus absent or coroniform; receptacles globose to hemispheric or obconic, often swollen, or cup- or funnel-shaped peripherally, convex centrally; leaves often lyrately lobed or lobed, sometimes unlobed. 4a. Herbs prostrate; involucres patelliform. 5a. Marginal female florets cylindric-linear, funnel-shaped, or ovoid to urceolate, 2- or 3-lobed; disk florets functionally male; synflorescences racemiform or paniculiform, rarely solitary capitula ......... 116. Dichrocephala 5b. Marginal female florets tubular, outer 2-lobed, inner 3- or 4-lobed; disk florets bisexual; synflorescences solitary capitula or laxly corymbiform ................................................................................... 118. Grangea 4b. Herbs erect; involucres hemispheric. 6a. Leaves pinnatifid or pinnatisect; receptacles cup-shaped or funnel-shaped peripherally (female), slightly convex centrally (disk); marginal female floret lamina none (outer) or short, narrowly funnelform (inner), 2-lobed, purple; disk florets 5-lobed; achenes oblong to ± fusiform, not ribbed ....... 117. Cyathocline 6b. Leaves sometimes lyrate, sometimes lobed, or not lobed; receptacles convex, hemispheric or globose; ray floret lamina small, rounded, ovate or linear, white to purplish; disk florets 4-lobed; achenes narrowly obovoid, 2-ribbed ................................................................................................. 119. Myriactis 2b. Capitula cup-shaped; involucres hemispheric or campanulate to turbinate or cylindric; receptacles flat or ± convex, or hemispheric-flattened or hemispheric-conic to lenticular-knobby; pappus of bristles (usually numerous, usually long); herbs perennial or annual, sometimes woody vines. 7a. Capitula discoid. 8a. Achenes obovoid; leaves eglandular (or sometimes stipitate glandular); capitula solitary at ends of branches, sometimes forming open paniculate-corymbiform synflorescences; disk floret lobes unequal .............. 139. Aster 8b. Achenes oblong or lanceolate; leaves gland-dotted or not; capitula in dense or loose corymbiform synflorescences, rarely solitary; disk floret lobes equal. 9a. Involucres broadly obconic to campanulate or hemispheric, phyllaries 1–3-veined; leaves sometimes 3-veined; rhizomes robust ................................................................................................................................ 125. Galatella 9b. Involucres shortly cylindric or sometimes obconic, phyllary midvein ± distinct; leaves 1-veined; rhizomes slender ............................................................................................................................................... 126. Crinitina 7b. Capitula disciform. 10a. Woody vines, climbing; achenes angled, 3-ribbed ...................................................................................... 122. Microglossa 10b. Herbs perennial or annual, climbing or erect; achenes compressed, flattened or cylindric, 2–4- or more ribbed or many veined (if 3-ribbed and angled then usually on ray only and disk achenes 2-ribbed). 11a. Capitula solitary or 2–4-fascicled at ends of branches, shortly pedunculate or sessile; disk corolla lobes unequal, outer 2 longer; herbs perennial, climbing or erect ........................................................... 134. Heteroplexis 545 546 ASTEREAE 11b. Capitula terminal, solitary or few, or in racemiform, paniculiform, or corymbiform synflorescences, pedunculate; disk corolla lobes equal; herbs perennial or annual, erect. 12a. Herbs annual, eglandular, glabrous (leaf margin ciliate) ............................................................... 144. Symphyotrichum 12b. Herbs annual or perennial, glandular (sometimes eglandular), hairy. 13a. Involucres urceolate or subcylindric ....................................................................................................... 141. Erigeron 13b. Involucres campanulate to hemispheric-campanulate. 14a. Disk florets functionally male (sterile); phyllaries 2- or 3-seriate ............................................... 135. Psychrogeton 14b. Disk florets bisexual (fertile); phyllaries 3- or 4-seriate. 15a. Phyllaries subequal; disk floret limb shortly funnelform; achenes oblanceolate, flattened .................................................................................................................................. 136. Neobrachyactis 15b. Phyllaries imbricate (unequal); disk floret limb funnelform; achenes oblong, compressed. 16a. Female florets elaminate; pappus 1-seriate; synflorescences corymbiform, sometimes glomerate, glomerate-paniculiform, or paniculiform ........................................................... 121. Eschenbachia 16b. Female florets laminate, lamina short, filiform; pappus ± 2-seriate, outer very short, slender; synflorescences densely compound-corymbiform (see species incertae sedis after Eschenbachia) ...................................................................................................................... Conyza stricta 1b. Capitula radiate. 17a. Ray floret lamina yellow, orange, red, or brownish. 18a. Small shrubs; pappus 3-seriate, outermost of 6 broad scales, inner (absent in disk florets) of flattened bristles, innermost of strongly clavate bristles; leaf blade pinnatilobed; receptacles fimbriate ........................ 133. Formania 18b. Herbs perennial, sometimes biennial or annual, or subshrubs; pappus 1–3-seriate, outer few short bristles or scales, inner series of bristles, innermost sometimes ± clavate, or only short scales; leaf blade subpinnatifid or unlobed; receptacles naked. 19a. Disk florets functionally male (sterile). 20a. Capitula ± large; phyllaries unequal to equal; herbage sometimes or partly long white lanate or cottony; achenes 8–10-veined; pappus bristles long barbellate .............................................................. 115. Nannoglottis 20b. Capitula medium-sized to small; phyllaries imbricate; herbage white tomentose to lanate, sessile to short-stipitate glandular; achenes 2-ribbed; pappus bristles barbellate ............................................. 135. Psychrogeton 19b. Disk florets bisexual (fertile). 21a. Plants resinous; phyllaries looped or hooked; pappus of few deciduous scales or awns ............................. 143. Grindelia 21b. Plants not resinous; phyllaries ± appressed; pappus 1–3-seriate, outer few short bristles or scales, inner series of bristles. 22a. Capitula numerous in terminal racemiform, paniculiform, or corymbose-paniculiform synflorescences; achenes obconic to cylindric, sometimes ± compressed, 8–10-veined .......................... 140. Solidago 22b. Capitula solitary; achenes oblong, compressed, 2(–4)-veined ................................................................... 141. Erigeron 17b. Ray floret lamina