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Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, rarely scandent. Leaves alternate or in a rosette, variable from entire to pinnatisect, often spinulose, sometimes reduced. Capitula in various inflorescences, generally corymbose or paniculate; phyllaries unequal, in several series, the outermost smallest; receptacle epaleate, with ± fimbriate alveolae. Florets with anthers sagittate at base, auricles acute or shortly setaceous-acuminate; style branches long with conspicuous sweeping hairs. Achenes lengthening after anthesis, flattened, usually ribbed, generally with a distinct beak; pappus of bristles.
Annual to perennial taprooted or rhizomatous herbs. Hairs bristly, spinous, or 0. Stems usually branching above. Lvs basal and cauline, pinnatifid to entire. Infl. a diffuse panicle, or spicate with capitula sessile in axillary clusters. Involucral bracts glabrous; outer bracts small; inner bracts becoming larger, not in distinct rows. Receptacle pitted, without scales or hairs. Corolla ligulate, yellow. Achenes pale or dark, 5-35, flattened, usually ribbed; beak paler than achene or concolorous; pappus bristles in 2 rows of equal length, white, > achene body, simple, free to base.
Annual, biennial or perennial herbs or (not in Australia) subshrubs or climbers, branching. Hairs simple, eglandular. Leaves predominantly cauline. Inflorescences paniculate. Capitula ±sessile, sometimes clustered; involucral bracts multiseriate, soft and erect or reflexed at maturity. Florets: ligules yellow (in Australia), drying whitish or bluish. Achenes homomorphic, strongly compressed, beaked. Pappus of bristles, persistent (in Australia); bristles minutely scabridulous, uniform within pappus.
Achenes homomorphic, ± ellipsoidal, ± compressed, apex constricted and produced as a distinct filamentous beak, or beak absent; achene body ribbed, minutely rugose-scabridulous, ascending-hispidulous; pappus several-seriate of uniform white or straw-coloured, barbellate setae, rarely with an outer ring of minute setae.
Leaves radical, or cauline and alternate, often auriculate-amplexicaul, undivided to deeply runcinate-pinnatisect, or rarely pinnately compound, margins entire or remotely denticulate to coarsely dentate, glabrous or crispate-pubescent to setulose, rarely spinose-setose on midribs beneath, often glaucous.
Stems mostly solitary and branched above, glabrous, crispate-pubescent or setulose, rarely spinescent.
Annual, perennial or biennial herbs, erect often scapigerous, sometimes scandent.
Capitula few to numerous, corymbose or thyrsoid-paniculate, sometimes solitary.
Anthers sagittate at the base, auricles acute or shortly setaceous-acuminate.
Phyllaries 3–5-seriate, elongating in the fruiting stage.
Receptacle epaleate, alveolate; alveolae ± fimbriate.
Style branches long with conspicuous sweeping hairs.
Corollas yellow whitish purplish or blue.
