Erect, annual, herbs, branches appressed pilose, intermixed with scattered glands. Leaves  entire, opposite or subopposite, lanceolate or ovate, 6–12 cm long, 2.5–7 cm wide, acute at the apex, basally truncate  or cordate, sessile. Capitula solitary, terminal, usually radiate. Involucre campanulate, cylindric, to hemispheric, 1–2 cm wide. Phyllaries 3– or 4–seriate. Receptacle conical, paleae upto 15 mm long, apically fimbriate. Ray florets female, fertile; ligules narrowly oblanceolate, 2–3.5 cm long,yellow, orange, red, maroon, purple or white. Disc florets bisexual, fertile, corolla tubular–campanulate, 5–toothed, usually yellow to reddish, sometimes purple tinged, tube much shorter than cylindric limb, lobes 5, lanceolate–ovate.  Ray cypselas oblanceolate to cuneate, 3–angled, 6 – 9 mm long, disc cypselas ca 8.5 mm long, ca 4 mm wide. Pappus absent, or with or without persistent, solitary awn.