Herbs, perennial [or rarely annual], with or without basal leaf rosette, often broomlike, glabrous or with simple bristles, arachnoid hairy, or tomentose. Synflorescence of individual axes in broomlike plants sparsely racemiform or with a single terminal capitulum. Capitula with usually 5-12 florets. Involucre narrowly cylindric. Phyllaries glabrous, arachnoid hairy, or with simple bristles; outer phyllaries few, only slightly longer centripetally, longest ca. 1/4 as long as inner ones; inner phyllaries 5(-7) or ca. 8, ± equal in length, ± linear-lanceolate. Receptacle naked. Florets yellow. Achene body subcylindric, somewhat narrowed toward base, with 5 main ribs, each rib usually divided into 3 secondary ribs, apically or from middle with tubercles or scales, apically usually with a corona of 5 entire or 3-lobed ± membranous scales; beak usually present, short and stout to longer and filiform, when fully mature with or without fine transversal articulation preforming rupture of beak. Pappus white, simple, of scabrid bristles.

The noxious weed Chondrilla juncea Linnaeus has been introduced to Australia, North and South America, and Pacific islands (New Zealand) but has not yet been reported from China.

About 30 species: mostly in C and SW Asia and the Mediterranean region; ten species in China.

(Authors: Shi Zhu (石铸 Shih Chu); Norbert Kilian)