Callistephus Cass. in G.-F. Cuvier, Dict. Sci. Nat., ed. 2. 37: 491. 1825; Chen & Bruillet, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 20-21: 568.

Herbs, annual or biennial. Leaves alternate, cauline, margin serrate or lobed. Capitula large, radiate, solitary, terminal on stem and at branch ends. Involucre hemispheric; phyllaries 2-3- seriate, imbricate, outer series large, leaf-like, inner shorter, scarious. Receptacles flat or subconvex, alveolate, short paleae sometimes present. Ray florets 1-or 2-seriate, female, fertile, limb usually red-purple, entire or shallowly 2-toothed at apex. Disc florets bisexual, numerous, yellow, limb campanulate, shallowly 5-lobed. Anther base obtuse, entire, appendages triangular-lanceolate; style branches flattened. Cypselae oblanceoloid, slightly minutely stipitate glandular, 2-ribbed, 1 vein per side. Pappus 3-seriate: outer of persistent, short scales; inner 2 of deciduous, long, barbellate bristles.

One species

Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees, Gen. Sp. Aster. 222. 1832; Chen & Brouillet, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 20-21: 569; Aster chinensis L., Sp. Pl. 2: 877. 1753.

Herbs, 20-100 cm tall. Stems erect, single, simple or sparingly branched, branches ascending, sometimes reddish, sparsely to moderately villous, sometimes minutely stipitate glandular. Leaves alternate, cauline; lower persistent or withered by anthesis, gradually reduced distally. Lower leaves: Petiole up to 1.2 cm long; leaf blade spatulate, ca. 0.9 cm long. Middle leaves: Petiole narrowly winged, 2-4 cm long, margin villosulosus; leaf blade ovate to lanceolate or oblanceolate, 2.5-6.5 cm x 2-4 cm, strigillose, abaxially sparsely pilosulose, midvein sparsely villosulosus, adaxially glabrous, base cuneate or attenuate-rounded, margin usually irregularly coarsely serrate, teeth mucronate, apex acuminate, mucronulate. Capitula large, 4-5 cm across, radiate, solitary, terminal on stem and at branch ends. Involucre 10-15+ mm. Phyllaries in 2-3 series, subequal, oblanceolate, apex obtuse: outer series of 20+ phyllaries, 10-30 mm x 2-6 mm, green, glabrous, midvein ciliate proximally, margin white ciliate, apex mucronate; inner series 10-30 mm x 2-6 mm, glabrous, eglandular, scarious, multiveined, veins translucent, proximally prominent, margin hyaline, erose, purple-tinged, apex erose. Receptacles flat or subconvex, alveolate. Ray florets: 16-40+, female, fertile. Corolla red, pink, blue, purple, violet, lilac or white; tube sparsely strigillose, sparsely minutely stipitate glandular apically; limb 15-35 mm x 2-8 mm. Disc florets: Many, yellow, 4.5-5 mm long. Corolla tube and limb base sparsely strigillose, limb 3.6-4 mm long, lobes 5, spreading, narrowly triangular, 1.2-1.3 mm long, sparsely minutely stipitate glandular. Ovary obovate-oblong, strigillose, 2-ribbed, one rib per side; style branches 2, flattened. Cypselae mottled purple, greyish with age, 3-3.5 mm long. Pappus 3-seriate: outer scales reddish, ca. 0.1 mm; inner bristles 2-seriate, dirty white, short, ca. 4 mm, acute, persistent; innermost bristles longest, 4.0-4.8 mm, dirty white, barbellate, deciduous.

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