Stems and branches very variable; leaves thin-membranous to thick-coriaceous, usually not fenestrate; heads villous; receptacular bractlets present; florets mostly polygamous, 2-or 3-merous; perianth (perigonium) double and involute; staminate florets with the sepals more or less connate toward the base, the petals connate into a membranous, hollow, glabrous (or rarely pilose within), slightly 2-or 3-lobed, eglandular, infundibular tube, which is finally almost always involute; stamens of the same number as the petals (2 or 3) and opposite them, exserted; anthers 4-celled (composed of 2 thecae); and in the center a double or triple papillose rudimentary pistil; pistillate florets with the sepals usually connate at the very base and becoming rigid in age; petals free and eglandular; ovary 2-or 3-celled, the style-appendages mostly 2 or 3, papillose at the apex, inserted at about the same height as the stigmas and placed between them; the stigma simple or more often bifid; hairs of the receptacular bractlets and perigonium granulose within, almost always clavate-obtuse, often tuberculate.
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