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Asteridae
Class of Stars (Daisies) |
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Asterids
The order is a cosmopolite, and includes mostly herbaceous species, although a small number of trees (such as some members of the genus Lobelia) and shrubs are also present.
The Asterales can be characterized on the morphological and molecular level. Synapomorphies include the oligosaccharide inulin, a nutrient storage molecule, and unique stamen morphology. The stamens are usually found around the style, either aggregated densely or fused into a tube, probably an adaptation in association with the plunger (or secondary) pollination that is common among the families of the order.
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