Aster Family (Asteraceae)

Though this is the second-largest family of flowering plants, it is easy enough to tell when you've found a member: asters and their relatives have very many narrow petals, usually forming a ring around a disc of tiny true flowers in the center. Sunflowers, daisies, and dandelions are in this family.

 

Daisy Tribe (Astereae)

A large and varied tribe, but includes most of the flowers commonly called daisies or asters.

aster

Vermont

Fleabane?

Ring around Owl's Head

Aster

Mt Mansfield

Symphyotrichum patens?

Mt Mansfield

Townsendia

South Sister

Aster

Saddleback & Abraham

Chickory Tribe (Cichorieae)

Includes chickory, dandelions, and lettuce. Often broad-leaved, with flat, rectangular petals, and many are edible.

yellow hawkweed?

Flower Bridge

yellow hawkweed
Hieracium caespitosum

The Pinnacle

Orange Hawkweed

Cannon Mtn

Orange Hawkweed
Hieracium aurantiacum

Cannon Mtn

Orange Hawkweed
Hieracium aurantiacum

The Pinnacle

orange hawkweed
Hieracium aurantiacum

Mt Moosilauke

Dahlia Tribe (Coreopsideae)

Includes Dahlias, Cosmos, and some lesser-known genera. Defined by the arrangement of bracts at the base of the flower.

Cosmos

Flower Bridge

Dahlia

Flower Bridge

Dahlia

Flower Bridge

Thistle Tribe (Cynareae)

Includes thistles, artichoke, and knapweeds - typically thorny, with very many spiky or branching petals

Centaurea sp.

Local Pond

Centaurea

Mt Mansfield

Centaurea

Parc de la Vanoise

Centaurea

Parc de la Vanoise

Centaurea

Saddleback & Abraham

thistle

Cârţa

thistle

Breton Life

thistle

Mt Dickerman

Eupatorium Tribe (Eupatorieae)

A Northern Hemisphere tribe of unclear definition, whose members go by a miscellany of names including "boneset", "thoroughwort" and "snakeroot".

Gayfeather

Front Garden

Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium sp.

(no album)

Joe-Pye Weed

Local Pond

Joe-Pye Weed

Lincoln & Lafayette

Pussy's-Toes Tribe (Gnaphalieae)

A mostly Southern-Hemisphere tribe, often with compact, button-shaped flowers.

Pearly Everlasting
Anaphalis margaritacea

Mt Dickerman

Pearly Everlasting
Anaphalis margaritacea

Dry River

Pearly Everlasting
Anaphalis margaritacea

Saddleback & Abraham

Sunflower Tribe (Heliantheae)

A mostly North American tribe, typically with yellow bracts around a prominent, dark central cluster of true flowers, but also includes ragweeds. Some species are grown for human consumption - seeds, seed oil, and roots.

Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia sp.

Vermont

Coneflower
Echinacea sp.

Front Garden

heliantheae?

Local Pond

Ragwort Tribe (Senecioneae)

The largest tribe of asteraceans - highly varied. Often poisonous.

Colt's-foot
Tussilago farfara

Colt's Foot in Snow

Colt's-foot
Tussilago farfara

Fall Colors

Colt's-foot

Signs of Spring

Colt's-foot
Tussilago farfara

April Flowers

Colt's-foot

Conway

Colt's-foot
Tussilago farfara

Conway

Colt's-foot, Tussilago farfara

Local Walk

dwarf alpinegold
Hulsea nana

Mt Bachelor

Dwarf Alpinegold
Hulsea nana

South Sister

Ironweed Tribe (Vernonieae)

Ironweeds and not much else.

Ironweed
Vernonia sp.

Local Pond

Ironweed

Local Pond

Ironweed

Local Pond

Ironweed

(no album)

Other Asteracean Tribes

Asteraceans not included above, or not identified as to tribe.

Unidentified

Vânătarea lui Buteanu

  Chrysanthemum
C. morifolium?

Fall colors

Tansy, Tanacetum vulgare

Local pond