Perennial erect herbs or subshrubs, often subscandent. Leaves opposite, petiolate, simple, entire to coarsely toothed. Inflorescence of heads usually in sub-corymbose axillary and terminal clusters. Capitula homogamous, narrowly cylindrical to cylindrical-campanulate; involucral bracts herbaceous, numerous and overlapping in 4–7 series, progressively lengthening towards florets, free, deciduous at maturity; receptacle elongate, with upper surface flat to convex, usually naked (lacking paleae). Disc florets bisexual; corolla tubular to narrowly funnel-form, 5-lobed, glandular, lavender, pale purple, blue or dull off-white to pale pink. Achenes slender, cylindrical, (3–) 5-ribbed, with bristles on ribs. Pappus of numerous persistent white bristles.
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