Herbs, shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate or in basal rosettes, entire to dentate-lobed or pinnatisect. Capitula of various types, homogamous, discoid or heterogamous, radiate or disciform. Phyllaries 2-multiseriate, chartaceous or sometimes herbaceous. Receptacle usually epaleate, rarely paleate. Rayl florets if present usually bilabiate with an expanded limb, rarely without adaxial lobes, perfect, female or neuter, sometimes with inconspicuous, female marginal florets in disciform capitula. Disc florets 4-5-lobed or bilabiate, perfect or functionally male or female. Anthers calcarate, caudate, tails branched, endothecial tissues generally of elongate cells, polarized, filament collar much swollen or obsolete, styler branches rather short with acute or obtuse hairs or glabrous, or papillose or pilose dorsally and apically, sometimes apically penicillate and truncate. Cypselas oblong-obovoid, ribbed. Pappus usually with bristles or sometimes scaly, bristles scabrid to barbellate or plumose, sometimes with additional scales or absent.