{{short description|Subclass of plants}} {{not to be confused with|Asteriidae}} '''''Asteridae''''' is an obsolete [[botanical name]] at the rank of [[Subclass (biology)|subclass]]. Composition of the subclass has also varied; however, by definition it always includes the family [[Asteraceae]] (Compositae). In the modern [[APG IV system]] of classification, [[asterid]] and [[euasterid]] are names for clades with a composition similar to that of Asteridae.
One of the better-known and more influential systems that formally recognized subclass Asteridae was the [[Cronquist system]] devised by botanist [[Arthur Cronquist]], which included the orders:
* [[Gentianales]] * [[Solanales]] * [[Lamiales]] * [[Callitrichales]] * [[Plantaginales]] * [[Scrophulariales]] * [[Campanulales]] * [[Rubiales (plant)|Rubiales]] * [[Dipsacales]] * [[Calycerales]] * [[Asterales]]
Most of the above orders as defined by Cronquist have definitely been dramatically redefined on the basis of recent molecular systematic studies.
To a large extent Cronquist's subclass Asteridae corresponds with the older concepts of [[Sympetalae]] and [[Tubiflorae]], groups that were defined by having their petals united into a tube. However, these older classifications contained some sympetalous families, such as [[Cucurbitaceae]], that are now known not to be closely related. Cronquist's concept also corresponds closely with the [[APG II]] group of [[euasterids]] but the APG does not formally recognize a group called "Asteridae" (or any other group above the rank of order).
Recent phylogenetic studies have suggested that several families, including three major orders not included in Asteridae by Cronquist, [[Ericales]], [[Cornales]], and [[Apiales]], also belong to the asterid group. The circumscription of subclass Asteridae, as well as the circumscriptions of the orders contained within it, is currently in a state of flux; many systematic botanists refer to these as clades ([[asterids]], [[euasterids]], etc.), rather than use formal names such as subclass Asteridae.
==External links== *[http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/newgate/cron1ast.htm Asteridae] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516215931/http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/newgate/cron1ast.htm |date=2008-05-16 }} (Cronquist system) *[http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Asterids&contgroup=Core_Eudicots Asterids] *[http://hengduan.huh.harvard.edu/~rree/reprints/Donoghue_et_al-1998-TPS.pdf Phylogeny and the evolution of flower symmetry in the Asteridae] *[http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/expand?pub=infobike://ap/fy/2000/00000016/00000001/art00769&unc= The Phylogeny of the Asteridae sensu lato Based on Chloroplast ndhF Gene Sequences] (link to abstract) *[http://www.springerlink.com/(lmk1zcqhf3qoezridttpvqvk)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,5,7;journal,87,1500;linkingpublicationresults,1:104878,1 Phylogeny of the Asteridae s. str. based on rbcL sequences, with particular reference to the Dipsacales]{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (link to abstract)
[[Category:Historically recognized angiosperm taxa]] [[no:Kurvplanter]] [[pl:Astrowe]]