genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
flowering plants in the family
Asteraceae
The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...
. Its
circumscription
Circumscription may refer to:
*Circumscribed circle
*Circumscription (logic)
*Circumscription (taxonomy)
* Circumscription theory, a theory about the origins of the political state in the history of human evolution proposed by the American anthrop ...
has been narrowed, and it now encompasses around 170 species, all but one of which are restricted to
Eurasia
Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago a ...
; many species formerly in ''Aster'' are now in other genera of the tribe
Astereae
Astereae is a tribe of plants in the family Asteraceae that includes annuals, biennials, perennials, subshrubs, shrubs, and trees. They are found primarily in temperate regions of the world. Plants within the tribe are present nearly worldwide di ...
. ''
Aster amellus
''Aster amellus'', the European Michaelmas daisy, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus '' Aster'' of the family Asteraceae.
Etymology
The specific name ''amellus'' is first used in the Georgics (Book IV, 271–280), a poem of the Lati ...
'' is the
type species
In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...
of the genus and the family Asteraceae.
The name ''Aster'' comes from the
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic peri ...
word (''astḗr''), meaning "star", referring to the shape of the
flower head
A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...
. Many species and a variety of hybrids and varieties are popular as garden plants because of their attractive and colourful flowers. 'Aster' species are used as food plants by the
larva
A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle.
The ...
e of a number of
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
The genus ''Aster'' once contained nearly 600 species in Eurasia and North America, but after morphologic and molecular research on the genus during the 1990s, it was decided that the North American species are better treated in a series of other related genera. After this split there are roughly 180 species within the genus, all but one being confined to Eurasia. in
Flora of North America
The ''Flora of North America North of Mexico'' (usually referred to as ''FNA'') is a multivolume work describing the native plants and naturalized plants of North America, including the United States, Canada, St. Pierre and Miquelon, and Greenla ...
.
The New World species have now been reclassified in the genera '' Almutaster'', '' Canadanthus'', ''
Doellingeria
''Doellingeria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It contains species formerly included in ''Aster'' but now considered to be a distinct genus. They are known commonly as tall flat-topped astersEucephalus'', '' Eurybia'', '' Ionactis'', ''
Oligoneuron
''Solidago'' sect. ''Ptarmicoidei'' is a section of flowering plants in the genus ''Solidago''. They are sometimes considered a separate genus: ''Oligoneuron''. Like related species they are known as goldenrods. This section contains seven specie ...
'', ''
Oreostemma
''Oreostemma'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Species are found in western North America, with two endemic to California.
; Species
* '' Oreostemma alpigenum'' (Tundra aster) — California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, ...
Astereae
Astereae is a tribe of plants in the family Asteraceae that includes annuals, biennials, perennials, subshrubs, shrubs, and trees. They are found primarily in temperate regions of the world. Plants within the tribe are present nearly worldwide di ...
. The "China aster" is in the related genus ''
Callistephus
''Callistephus'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae, containing the single species ''Callistephus chinensis''. Its common names include China aster and annual aster.Gilman, E. F. and T. Howe''Callistephus ch ...
''. Regardless of the taxonomic change, most are still widely referred to as "asters", or "
Michaelmas
Michaelmas ( ; also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels) is a Christian festival observed in some Western liturgical calendars on 29 September, a ...
daisies", because of their typical blooming period.
Species
Plants of the World Online accepts 10 species, as of June 2022. The species formerly known as ''Aster tripolium'' (sea aster) is now ''
Tripolium pannonicum
''Tripolium pannonicum'', called sea aster or seashore aster and often known by the synonyms ''Aster tripolium'' or ''Aster pannonicus'', is a flowering plant, native to Eurasia and northern Africa, that is confined in its distribution to salt ma ...
''. The species formerly known as ''Aster linosyris'' (goldilocks) is now ''
Galatella linosyris
''Galatella linosyris'' (also called goldilocks aster, and often known by the synonyms ''Aster linosyris'' and ''Crinitaria linosyris'') is a species of perennial plant from family Asteraceae found in Eastern, Central and Southern Europe. It can ...
''. Many species and a variety of hybrids and varieties are popular as garden plants because of their beautiful, attractive and colourful flowers. ''Aster'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of a number of
Lepidoptera
Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...
Aster alpinus
''Aster alpinus'', the alpine aster or blue alpine daisy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the mountains of Europe (including the Alps), with a subspecies native to Canada and the United States. This herbaceous ...
Aster amellus
''Aster amellus'', the European Michaelmas daisy, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus '' Aster'' of the family Asteraceae.
Etymology
The specific name ''amellus'' is first used in the Georgics (Book IV, 271–280), a poem of the Lati ...
Ulleungdo
Ulleungdo (also spelled Ulreungdo; Hangul: , ) is a South Korean island 120 km (75 mi) east of the Korean Peninsula in the Sea of Japan, formerly known as the Dagelet Island or Argonaut Island in Europe.
Volcanic in origin, the rocky s ...
Aster tataricus
''Aster tataricus'', also called Tatarinow's aster, is a member of the ''Aster'' genus of flowering plants.
Uses
Culinary
Known as ''gaemichwi'' () in Korean, the plant is considered a ''chwinamul'' (edible ''Aster'') variety used in Korean cu ...
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...
's
Award of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions.
History
The Award of Garden Merit ...
The Hungarian revolution of 31 October 1918, became known as the "
Aster Revolution
The Aster Revolution or Chrysanthemum Revolution ( hu, Őszirózsás forradalom) was a revolution in Hungary led by Count Mihály Károlyi in the aftermath of World War I which resulted in the foundation of the short-lived First Hungarian Peopl ...
" due to protesters in
Budapest
Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
wearing this flower.
In culture
One of the few flowers left around
Michaelmas
Michaelmas ( ; also known as the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, the Feast of the Archangels, or the Feast of Saint Michael and All Angels) is a Christian festival observed in some Western liturgical calendars on 29 September, a ...
in the
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
is the Michaelmas daisy (another name for asters), hence the rhyme: "The Michaelmas daisies, among dead weeds, Bloom for St Michael's valorous deeds..."