Camdass (pronounced “kam-das”) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to North and South America. The genus includes annual and perennial herbs, shrubs, and trees. The leaves are alternate, simple, and usually lobed or divided. The flowers are borne in heads or clusters, and have yellow, red, or purple petals.
The genus was first described by French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat in 1808. It is named after American botanist Benjamin Smith Barton (1766–1815), who was the first to collect specimens of Camdassus species.
There are about 150 species in the genus Camdassus. The best known is C. maxima (synonym C. gigantea), which is native to Central and South America and grows up to 30 m tall with a trunk diameter of 1 m. It has been introduced to Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia as an ornamental tree. Other important members of the genus include C. guatemalensis, C., corymbosa ,and C., microphylla .