Description: Small shrubs to large trees or vines; stems minutely pubescent on herbaceous parts.
Leaves opposite, petiolate, with 3 main veins, entire to deeply 3–5 lobed or coarsely pinnatifid, wings and auricles present or absent.
Heads solitary or more usually in compound corymbs or panicles; involucral bracts ± 2-seriate, with 3 veins; receptacle convex or conic, scales persistent, often spine-tipped, enclosing and surpassing the achenes. Ray florets in 1 row or rarely absent, sterile, ligulate. Disc florets few or numerous, fertile, ± tubular, 5-toothed. Anthers auriculate at base, apical appendages acute ovate and scarious. Styles branches usually linear, densely papillose-pilose.
Achenes brown-black, obovoid or 4-angled, usually compressed, glabrous and smooth; pappus a ring-shaped collar.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 50 species, Central & South America. Australia: 1 species (naturalized).
Text by Louisa Murray
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
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