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Flowers 4–partite, with a 4 angled, furrowed involucel, crowned with 4 angular hairy teeth, or with a membranous ± glabrous corona, entire, crenate or with 4 ± obtuse teeth.
Corolla white, cream or yellowish, or mauve, of 4 lobes, those of the outer flowers often longer and more irregular than the inner.
Receptacular bracts obtuse, acuminate, often cuspidate or pungent with a hard tip, scarious, pubescent or hairy.
Inflorescence of terminal, globose or ± cylindrical capitula with (1)2 or more rows of bracts.
Involucral bracts scarious or pubescent, usually obtuse, oblanceolate, ovate or lanceolate.
Leaves very variable, most species heterophyllous, entire or toothed or pinnatifid.
Calyx small, cupiliform ± lobed, glabrous or pilose.
Annual or perennial herbs or sub–shrubs.
Stamens 4, style entire, filiform.
