No known fossil record. Small to medium flowers borne on cymes or headlike with a colorful involucre. Sepals petal-like and tubular, petals lacking.
Bracts are present.
Fruit an achene or nut and often enclosed by the calyx. Seed with embryo curved or straight and endosperm present or absent. Placentation is basal. As herbs, shrubs or trees. Leaves simple, alternate or opposite.