Description: Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs, indumentum various, usually above layer of glandular hairs. Lower leaves opposite, or all leaves alternate, margins flat and entire; sessile.
Heads terminal, solitary, or in a diffuse inflorescence of up to 8 heads; heads broad-campanulate, hemispherical or cylindrical; involucral bracts conspicuous, papery, with or without narrow herbaceous claws at the base, inner bracts equal to or much shorter than intermediate bracts; receptacle flat, scales absent. All florets bisexual or a few outer florets female or outer florets only fertile. Anthers tailed. Style branches truncate or swollen, papillose, or narrow-acute and glabrous.
Achenes glabrous, scabrous-papillose or with robust hairs; pappus variously barbellate.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 300 species, chiefly Africa, also Europe, Asia & Australia. Australia: c. 8 species (endemic).
Text by J. Everett; key updated February 2016 Louisa Murray
Taxon concept:
Taxa not yet included in identification key
Helichrysum calvertianum,
Helichrysum leucopsideum
|
