Description: Biennial to perennial taprooted herbs, hairs non-glandular or glabrous; stems branching.
Basal leaves runcinate, forming a rosette; cauline leaves usually simple, reduced.
Heads terminal and axillary, solitary or clustered, ± sessile, cylindrical; involucral bracts 2-seriate, outer bracts much smaller, inner bracts linear, erect, ultimately spreading in fruit; receptacle flat, naked, pitted. Florets all ligulate, bisexual; ligule broad-linear to cuneate, yellow, tube papillose above. Anthers sagittate at base, apical appendage triangular. Style branches liner, papillose.
Achenes compressed-fusiform, ribbed, with a capillary beak surrounded at the base by 5 or 6 patent scales; pappus in many rows of free barbellate bristles.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 15 species, Europe & Asia. Australia: 1 species (naturalized).
Text by L. Murray
Taxon concept:
| One species in NSW: Chondrilla juncea |
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