Subclass Asteridae

The most derived dicot subclass, very large with 60000 species. Floral features are highly charateristic: petals fused into tube, small numbers of stamens alternating with petals. It includes the largest family of dicots, the Asteraceae or Compositae (sunflowers, daisies, etc.). An economically important family is the Solanaceae (potato, tomato, tobacco, red peppers).

Verbenaceae: Verbena family

2600 pantropical species, diverse in habit and structure. Teak (Tectona grandis) from India and Burma is a member. The largest genus with 400 species is Clerodendrum. Right: C. thomsonae from tropical W Africa.

Acanthaceae: Acanthus family

2500 mainly tropical species. Their inflorescences often have showy bracts, e.g. Beloperone guttata (below).