Callistephus
Encyclopedia
Callistephus is a genus of flowering plant
s, in the Asteraceae
(daisy family); the genus includes only one species, C. chinensis, the China Aster.
It is native to China
, and is an annual plant
, growing to 20–80 cm tall with branched stems. The leaves
are alternate, 4–8 cm long, ovate, and coarsely toothed. The flowerheads
are variable, with either all ray florets or an outer ring of ray florets surrounding central disc florets; the ray florets are white to purple, the disc florets, if present, usually yellow.
in gardens, and numerous cultivar
s are available; the cultivars are grouped by size, with very dwarf (up to 20 cm), dwarf (20–40 cm), intermediate (40–60 cm) and tall (60–80 cm). In Japan
, the species is very important in the floriculture
industry for cut flowers. It is still referred to by many horticulturalists as Aster chinensis.
Varieties include Emerald Isles.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s, in the Asteraceae
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
(daisy family); the genus includes only one species, C. chinensis, the China Aster.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and is an annual plant
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
, growing to 20–80 cm tall with branched stems. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are alternate, 4–8 cm long, ovate, and coarsely toothed. The flowerheads
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
are variable, with either all ray florets or an outer ring of ray florets surrounding central disc florets; the ray florets are white to purple, the disc florets, if present, usually yellow.
Cultivation
It is a popular ornamental plantOrnamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
in gardens, and numerous cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s are available; the cultivars are grouped by size, with very dwarf (up to 20 cm), dwarf (20–40 cm), intermediate (40–60 cm) and tall (60–80 cm). In Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the species is very important in the floriculture
Floriculture
Floriculture, or flower farming, is a discipline of horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and for floristry, comprising the floral industry...
industry for cut flowers. It is still referred to by many horticulturalists as Aster chinensis.
Varieties include Emerald Isles.