Asteridea is a small genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae (order Asterales). All accepted species are endemic to Australia, distributed across Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria. The genus was first described by the English botanist John Lindley in 1839 in his A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony, making it one of the earlier Australian genera described from the Swan River region. Phylogenetic evidence supports the genus as monophyletic. The genus currently comprises a small number of accepted species (around four to nine, depending on the authority followed); the Australian Plant Census and Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (CHAH) are the primary authorities for Australian acceptance. The best-known species is Asteridea pulverulenta Lindl., the type and most widely recorded member of the genus.
Etymology
The genus name Asteridea derives from the Greek aster (star), shared with the broader tribe Astereae within Asteraceae, reflecting the star-shaped radiate flower heads characteristic of the genus. The genus was named by John Lindley in 1839.
Distribution
All accepted species of Asteridea are endemic to Australia. Their range spans Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria, consistent with the southwestern and southern Australian floristic regions. The genus was first collected from the Swan River Colony (present-day Western Australia).
Taxonomy Notes
Asteridea Lindl. was published in 1839 and is accepted by the Australian Plant Census under the authority of the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria (CHAH, 2011). The synonym Asteridia N.T.Burb. (1963) is no longer accepted. There is ongoing disagreement about species limits: Plants of the World Online accepts Asteridea gracilis A.Gray, but FloraBase and CHAH do not. Phylogenetic evidence supports the genus as monophyletic.
