Rhizomatous, erect, perennial herbs. Leaves most or all basal, simple, entire or dentate, petiolate with sheathing base, cauline similar or basal but with shorter petiole, ovate, cordate to reniform rarely pinnatifid. Capitula rarely up to (-3) mostly nodding, radiate or discoid, ecalyculate. Involucre campanulate to hemispherical, phyllaries 1-seriate, interlocked, often separating and appearing 2-seriate, often blackish. Ray florets female, ligule entire or 3-toothed, disc florets bisexual, tubular-campanulate, corolla 5-toothed. Anthers ecaudate, style branches obtuse, thick, flattened, penicillate, dorsally papillate. Cypselae oblong 5-10 ribbed, pappus bristles many, white or reddish.

1.	+	Ligules not exceeding the densely wooly involucres.	4. C. nanum
	–	Ligules much exceeding the involucre.	2
2.	+	Leaves reniform, brownish-white tomentose beneath.	1. C. decaisnei
	–	Leaves ovate, oblong or lanceolate, slightly cordate, truncate, cuneate but not reniform, subglabrous or sparsely pubescent beneath.	3
3.	+	Small herb, phyllaries usually blackish grey lanate.	3. C. ellisii
	–	Medium sized herb, phyllaries glabrous or sparsely pubescent or glandular-pubescent.	4
4.	+	Capitula usually solitary, phyllaries free at base (basal leaves oblong).	5. C. oblongatum
	–	Capitula usually 2-few headed, in simple or branched raceme. Phyllaries fused at the base.	2. C. arnicoides