Flora of China Illustrations, Volume 20-21 Asteraceae

Flora of China, Illustrations, Volume 20-21 is the 21th in a series of 22 volumes of the Flora of China Illustrations. It accompanies the Flora of China (FOC) Volume 20-21, which was published in 2011 and treated 15 tribes, 248 genera, and 2,336 species in Asteraceae. This volume of illustrations includes 722 plates representing a total of 1,214 species in 204 genera.

Volume 20–21 presents a single family, Asteraceae, which includes the many genera and species of daisies, as well as other herbs, shrubs, vines, and trees. Asteraceae have a cosmopolitan distribution with a significant number of species found in China. Some are only found in China, such as the notable ornamentals Callistephus chinensis, the China daisy, and Aster tongolensis. As seen in many of the illustrations here, the flower heads are composed of numerous individual flowers (florets), hence the alternative family name Compositae. The family is of great economic importance, including food crops (e.g., lettuce, chicory, artichoke, sunflower), garden plants, teas (chamomile), and oil.