Description: Annual or perennial herbs.
Leaves opposite, petiolate.
Heads solitary terminal or axillary. Heads ± campanulate; involucral bracts 1–3-seriate, ± equal, usually broad and thin, outer ones leaf-like; receptacle conical, scales folded around florets. Ray florets usually present; 1-seriate, female. Disc florets bisexual, tubular, 5-toothed; anthers not or scarcely lobed at the base; style arms acute in ray florets, truncate in disc florets.
Ray achenes 3-angled. Disc achenes laterally compressed, 2-angled, often ciliate along margins; pappus absent or of 1–3 short fine bristles.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 30 species, North & South America, southern Asia, New Guinea & Australia. Australia: 3 species (1 species native, 2 species naturalized), Qld, N.T., W.A.
Text by L. Murray
Taxon concept:
| One species in NSW: Acmella grandiflora |
|
