Description: Annual to perennial rosette herbs; hairs non-glandular, short, cobwebby or absent; stems branching above.
Leaves basal and cauline, alternate, flat, margins entire to toothed or lobed; sessile.
Heads few to numerous, terminal, pedunculate in loose panicles, cup-shaped; involucral bracts 2- or 3-seriate, herbaceous; outer bracts subulate, spreading, smaller than or equal to inner ones; receptacle flat pitted, without scales. Florets all ligulate, bisexual, fertile; corolla tube cylindrical, pubescent. Anthers sagittate at base, apical appendage minute. Style branches filiform, obtuse, papillose. Outermost achenes 4-angled, ribbed, pubescent, each clasped by inner involucral bract; pappus 1 row of minute bristles. Inner achenes more compressed, ribbed, glabrous; pappus 1 row of minute bristles with 2–5 longer ones.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 20 species, Mediterranean region, America, southern Africa. Australia: 1 species (naturalised).
Text by L. Murray
Taxon concept:
| One species in NSW: Tolpis barbata |
|
