Some classificatons have the Dipsacaceae family reduced to a subfamily in a loosely defined Caprifoliaceae s.l. family
The Teasel family has 12 genera with 350 species.
Most are annual or perennial herbs with a few shrubs.
Many have simple and/or glandular hairs on many parts.
The simple or dissected leaves are opposite or whorled.
There are often 2 types of leaves on the same plant.
Terminal inflorescences are a dense head (capitulum) of small flowers (florets).
Heads, on a long peduncle are a hemisphere, cone or cylinder.
The head is supported by an involucre of 1 or 2 rows of leaf-like bracts.
The top of the stem extends up into the head forming the receptacle.
The receptacle has leaf-like bracts that may have hairs.
Florets have an epicalyx or involucel of bracts.
Bracts form a tubular structure that may have 4 or 8 ribs.
On the top of the tube is an erect or spreading petal-like corona.
On the rim of the small calyx tube are 4 (6 to 10) linear teeth or bristles.
The bristles may be unequal and the calyx remains on the fruit.
The corolla has a short tube with 5 (4 – 6) unequal overlapping lobes.
The 4 stamens, alternating with the petals insert onto the corolla tube.
The anthers, held above the corolla, open through longitudinal slits.
The inferior ovary of 2 fused carpels has 1 locule with 1 ovule.
There is 1 style with a nectary disc around its base.
The fruit are a cypsela surrounded by the epicalyx (involucel).
Cypselas are often called achenes but they come from a superior ovary.
J.F.
