XVI International Botanical Congess

Recent molecular analyses have showed that genera of Alseuosmiaceae, Argophyllaceae, Carpodetaceae, Phellinaceae and Rousseaceae had been misplaced in unrelated orders and should be transferred to Asterales which have basically 5-merous, sympetalous flowers with an epigynous compound ovary. (Re-)examination of their floral structures shows that the misplacement was caused by the lack of understanding of reversal to non-sympetaly and/or to hypogyny (Phelline, Roussea, etc.) or by our poor knowledge of floral structures (Argophyllum, Carpodetus, etc.). At anthesis both Argophyllum and Carpodetus have flowers with a (semi-)superior ovary and free petals but early in development their flowers have an inferior ovary and at least basally connate petals.