List of Asteraceae of South Africa

Asteraceae or Compositae is a family of flowering plants (anthophytes) in the order Asterales. Asteraceae (commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family), is a very large and widespread family, which includes over 32,000 currently accepted species, in over 1,900 genera (list) in 13 subfamilies. In terms of numbers of species, the Asteraceae are rivaled only by the Orchidaceae. Nearly all Asteraceae bear their flowers in dense heads (capitula or pseudanthia) surrounded by involucral bracts. When viewed from a distance, each capitulum may appear to be a single flower. Enlarged outer (peripheral) flowers in the capitula may resemble petals, and the involucral bracts may look like a calyx. The name Asteraceae comes from the type genus Aster, from the Ancient Greek , meaning star, and refers to the star-like form of the inflorescence. The alternative name Compositae is still valid under the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. It refers to the "composite" nature of the capitula, which consist of a few or many individual flowers.

Most members of Asteraceae are annual or perennial herbs, but a significant number are also shrubs, vines, or trees. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, with species ranging from subpolar to tropical regions, colonizing a wide variety of habitats. The largest proportion of the species occur in the arid and semiarid regions of subtropical and lower temperate latitudes.

23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.

The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).

329 genera are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.

Acanthospermum Genus Acanthospermum: Acanthospermum australe (Loefl.) Kuntze, not indigenous Acanthospermum glabratum (DC.) Wild, not indigenous Acanthospermum hispidum DC. not indigenous

Acanthotheca Genus Acanthotheca: Acanthotheca pinnatisecta DC. accepted as Dimorphotheca pinnata (Thunb.) Harv.

Achillea Genus Achillea: Achillea millefolium L. not indigenous

Achyrocline Genus Achyrocline: Achyrocline stenoptera (DC.) Hilliard & B.L.Burtt, accepted as Helichrysum stenopterum DC. indigenous

Acmella Genus Acmella: Acmella caulirhiza Delile, not indigenous, invasive Acmella decumbens (Sm.) R.K.Jansen, not indigenous, invasive

Adenachaena Genus Adenachaena: Adenachaena leptophylla DC. accepted as Phymaspermum leptophyllum (DC.) Benth. & Hook. ex B.D.Jacks. indigenous Adenachaena parvifolia DC. accepted as Phymaspermum parvifolium (DC.) Benth. & Hook. ex B.D.Jacks. endemic Adenachaena pubescens DC. accepted as Phymaspermum parvifolium (DC.) Benth. & Hook. ex B.D.Jacks. indigenous

Adenanthellum Genus Adenanthellum: Adenanthellum osmitoides (Harv.) B.Nord. indigenous

Adenoglossa Genus Adenoglossa: Adenoglossa decurrens (Hutch.) B.Nord. endemic

Adenostemma Genus Adenostemma: Adenostemma caffrum DC. indigenous Adenostemma viscosum J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. indigenous

Afroaster Genus Afroaster: Afroaster bowiei (Harv.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, endemic Afroaster comptonii (Lippert) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, indigenous Afroaster confertifolius (Hilliard & B.L.Burtt) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, endemic Afroaster erucifolius (Thell.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, indigenous Afroaster laevigatus (Sond.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, endemic Afroaster lydenburgensis (Lippert) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, indigenous Afroaster nubimontis (Lippert) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, endemic Afroaster peglerae (Bolus) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, endemic Afroaster perfoliatus (Oliv.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, indigenous Afroaster pleiocephalus (Harv.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, endemic Afroaster serrulatus (Harv.) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, indigenous Afroaster zuluensis (Lippert) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, endemic

Ageratina Genus Ageratina: Ageratina adenophora (Spreng.) R.M.King & H.Rob. not indigenous, invasive Ageratina altissima (L.) R.M.King & H.Rob. not indigenous Ageratina riparia (Regel) R.M.King & H.Rob. not indigenous, invasive

Ageratum Genus Ageratum: Ageratum conyzoides L. not indigenous, invasive Ageratum houstonianum Mill. not indigenous, invasive

Alatoseta Genus Alatoseta: Alatoseta tenuis Compton, endemic

Alciope Genus Alciope: Alciope lanata (Thunb.) DC. accepted as Capelio tomentosa (Burm.f.) B.Nord. Alciope tabularis (Thunb.) DC. accepted as Capelio tabularis (Thunb.) B.Nord.

Ambrosia Genus Ambrosia: Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. not indigenous Ambrosia psilostachya DC. not indigenous Ambrosia tenuifolia Spreng. not indigenous

Amellus Genus Amellus: Amellus alternifolius Roth, indigenous Amellus alternifolius Roth subsp. alternifolius, endemic Amellus alternifolius Roth subsp. angustissimus (DC.) Rommel, endemic Amellus asteroides (L.) Druce, indigenous Amellus asteroides (L.) Druce subsp. asteroides, endemic Amellus asteroides (L.) Druce subsp. mollis Rommel, endemic Amellus capensis (Walp.) Hutch. endemic Amellus coilopodius DC. endemic Amellus epaleaceus O.Hoffm. indigenous Amellus flosculosus DC. indigenous Amellus microglossus DC. endemic Amellus nanus DC. indigenous Amellus strigosus (Thunb.) Less. indigenous Amellus strigosus (Thunb.) Less. subsp. pseudoscabridus Rommel, endemic Amellus strigosus (Thunb.) Less. subsp. scabridus (DC.) Rommel, endemic Amellus strigosus (Thunb.) Less. subsp. strigosus, endemic Amellus tenuifolius Burm. endemic Amellus tridactylus DC. indigenous Amellus tridactylus DC. subsp. arenarius (S.Moore) Rommel, indigenous Amellus tridactylus DC. subsp. olivaceus Rommel, endemic Amellus tridactylus DC. subsp. tridactylus, endemic

Amphiglossa Genus Amphiglossa: Amphiglossa callunoides DC. endemic Amphiglossa celans Koekemoer, endemic Amphiglossa corrudifolia DC. endemic Amphiglossa foliosa J.C.Manning & Helme, endemic Amphiglossa grisea Koekemoer, endemic Amphiglossa kolbei Bolus, accepted as Disparago kolbei (Bolus) Hutch. indigenous Amphiglossa nitidula DC. accepted as Amphiglossa tomentosa (Thunb.) Harv. Amphiglossa perotrichoides DC. endemic Amphiglossa rudolphii Koekemoer, endemic Amphiglossa susannae Koekemoer, endemic Amphiglossa tecta (Brusse) Koekemoer, endemic Amphiglossa tomentosa (Thunb.) Harv. indigenous Amphiglossa triflora DC. indigenous

Anaglypha Genus Anaglypha: Anaglypha acicularis Benth. accepted as Osteospermum scabrum Thunb. indigenous

Anaxeton Genus Anaxeton: Anaxeton angustifolium Lundgren, endemic Anaxeton arborescens (L.) Less. endemic Anaxeton asperum (Thunb.) DC. indigenous Anaxeton asperum (Thunb.) DC. subsp. asperum, endemic Anaxeton asperum (Thunb.) DC. subsp. pauciflorum Lundgren, endemic Anaxeton brevipes Lundgren, endemic Anaxeton ellipticum Lundgren, endemic Anaxeton hirsutum (Thunb.) Less. endemic Anaxeton laeve (Harv.) Lundgren, endemic Anaxeton lundgrenii B.Nord. endemic Anaxeton nycthemerum Less. endemic Anaxeton virgatum DC. endemic

Anderbergia Genus Anderbergia: Anderbergia elsiae B.Nord. endemic Anderbergia epaleata (Hilliard & B.L.Burtt) B.Nord. endemic Anderbergia fallax B.Nord. endemic Anderbergia rooibergensis B.Nord. endemic Anderbergia ustulata B.Nord. endemic Anderbergia vlokii (Hilliard) B.Nord. endemic

Anisochaeta Genus Anisochaeta: Anisochaeta mikanioides DC. endemic

Anisopappus Genus Anisopappus: Anisopappus junodii Hutch. endemic Anisopappus latifolius (S.Moore) B.L.Burtt, endemic Anisopappus smutsii Hutch. indigenous

Anisothrix Genus Anisothrix: Anisothrix integra (Compton) Anderb. accepted as Pentatrichia integra (Compton) Klaassen & N.G.Bergh, endemic Anisothrix kuntzei O.Hoffm. accepted as Pentatrichia kuntzei (O.Hoffm.) Klaassen & N.G.Bergh, endemic

Anthemis Genus Anthemis: Anthemis arvensis L. not indigenous Anthemis cotula L. not indigenous

Antithrixia Genus Antithrixia: Antithrixia flavicoma DC. endemic

Aphelexis Genus Aphelexis: Aphelexis ericoides (Lam.) Sweet, accepted as Dolichothrix ericoides (Lam.) Hilliard & B.L.Burtt, indigenous

Arctotheca Genus Arctotheca: Arctotheca calendula (L.) Levyns, indigenous Arctotheca forbesiana (DC.) K.Lewin, endemic Arctotheca marginata Beyers, endemic Arctotheca populifolia (P.J.Bergius) Norl. indigenous Arctotheca prostrata (Salisb.) Britten, endemic

Arctotis Genus Arctotis: Arctotis acaulis L. endemic Arctotis acuminata K.Lewin, endemic Arctotis adpressa DC. endemic Arctotis aenea Jacq. endemic Arctotis angustifolia L. endemic Arctotis arctotoides (L.f.) O.Hoffm. indigenous Arctotis argentea Thunb. endemic Arctotis aspera L. indigenous Arctotis aspera L. var. aspera, endemic Arctotis aspera L. var. scabra P.J.Bergius, endemic Arctotis auriculata Jacq. indigenous Arctotis bellidiastrum (S.Moore) K.Lewin, endemic Arctotis bellidifolia P.J.Bergius, endemic Arctotis bolusii (S.Moore) K.Lewin, endemic Arctotis campanulata DC. indigenous Arctotis campanulata DC. var. campanulata, endemic Arctotis candida Thunb. endemic Arctotis caudata K.Lewin, endemic Arctotis crispata Hutch. accepted as Arctotis revoluta Jacq. endemic Arctotis cuneata DC. endemic Arctotis cuprea Jacq. accepted as Arctotis revoluta Jacq. endemic Arctotis debensis R.J.Mckenzie, endemic Arctotis decurrens Jacq. endemic Arctotis diffusa Thunb. endemic Arctotis discolor (Less.) Beauverd, endemic Arctotis dregei Turcz. endemic Arctotis elongata Thunb. endemic Arctotis erosa (Harv.) Beauverd, accepted as Arctotis subacaulis (DC.) Beauverd, endemic Arctotis fastuosa Jacq. indigenous Arctotis flaccida Jacq. endemic Arctotis fosteri N.E.Br. accepted as Arctotis acaulis L. endemic Arctotis gowerae E.Phillips, accepted as Arctotis flaccida Jacq. endemic Arctotis graminea K.Lewin, endemic Arctotis gumbletonii Hook.f. endemic Arctotis hirsuta (Harv.) Beauverd, endemic Arctotis hispidula (Less.) Beauverd, endemic Arctotis incisa Thunb. endemic Arctotis laevis Thunb. accepted as Arctotis revoluta Jacq. endemic Arctotis lanceolata Harv. endemic Arctotis leiocarpa Harv. indigenous Arctotis leptorhiza DC. accepted as Arctotis breviscapa Thunb. endemic Arctotis linearis Thunb. endemic Arctotis macrosperma (DC.) Beauverd, accepted as Arctotis semipapposa (DC.) Beauverd, endemic Arctotis merxmuelleri Friedrich, accepted as Arctotis decurrens Jacq. endemic Arctotis microcephala (DC.) Beauverd, indigenous Arctotis oocephala DC. accepted as Haplocarpha oocephala (DC.) Beyers Arctotis perfoliata (Less.) Beauverd, endemic Arctotis petiolata Thunb. endemic Arctotis pinnatifida Thunb. endemic Arctotis pusilla DC. accepted as Arctotis flaccida Jacq. endemic Arctotis revoluta Jacq. endemic Arctotis rotundifolia K.Lewin, endemic Arctotis schlechteri K.Lewin, endemic Arctotis scullyi Dummer, accepted as Arctotis decurrens Jacq. endemic Arctotis semipapposa (DC.) Beauverd, endemic Arctotis sessilifolia K.Lewin, endemic Arctotis setosa K.Lewin, endemic Arctotis stephensae Hutch. accepted as Arctotis bellidifolia P.J.Bergius