Description: Annual to perennial taprooted or rhizomatous herbs; hairs glandular, non-glandular or absent.
Basal leaves sinuate-pinnatifid, forming a rosette; cauline leaves alternate, sessile, ± auriculate.
Heads terminal, pedunculate in loose panicles or sessile at ground level; involucral bracts 3-seriate, with scarious margins, 2 inner rows ± equal, outer row shorter; receptacle flat, naked or rarely hairy, pitted. Florets all ligulate, bisexual, fertile; ligule linear to oblong. Anthers sagittate to tailed at base, apical appendage short. Style branches filiform, truncate or tapered, papillose.
Achenes terete, ribbed, either all without beaks, all beaked, or only the inner beaked; pappus in 1–3 rows of fine bristles.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 200 species, Northern Hemisphere & Africa. Australia: 6 species (naturalized), all States except N.T.
Text by L. Murray
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Stem and leaves almost glabrous; involucral bracts with fine hairs; achenes without beaks | Crepis capillaris |
| Plant sparsely or densely hairy; involucral bracts bristly or pubescent; achenes either all with beaks, or outer achenes without beaks and inner with beaks | 2 |
| 2 | Involucral bracts pubescent; achenes more than 7 mm long | Crepis foetida |
| Involucral bracts with yellow bristles; achenes less than 7 mm long
Back to 1 | Crepis setosa |
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