Densely tufted or mat-forming perennial herbs, more or less glabrous. Leaves alternate, crowded, narrow, entire; petiole sheath-like, often purple. Capitula small, obconical to hemispherical, few-flowered, solitary or a few together in corymbs, sessile or shortly pedunculate; peduncle often elongating in fruit; involucral bracts 1–3-seriate, equal or some outer ones shorter; receptacle c. flat. Florets tubular or campanulate, white, yellow, brown or purplish-red, often bi-coloured. Outer florets female, tubular, 1-seriate; corolla 3–5-lobed; style entire or shortly bilobed, glabrous. Inner florets bisexual or functionally male, tubular or campanulate; corolla usually 4-lobed; anthers caudate with an oblong appendage. Cypselas more or less straight, compressed or terete to 4-angled, minutely papillose or hairy, apex smooth, crowned, horned or awned, rarely beaked; pappus absent.