Annuals, biennials, or perennials (shrubs in A. californica, subshrubs in A. nesiotica); usually fibrous-rooted, sometimes taprooted, caudices sometimes woody, rhizomes sometimes present. Stems usually not wandlike (wandlike in A. californica, A. nesiotica, A. palmeri). Leaves usually deciduous, rarely persistent, basal (rosettes) and/or cauline (not in fascicles). Heads usually disciform (discoid in A. nesiotica and A. palmeri). Receptacles glabrous (paleate in A. palmeri). Florets: usually peripheral 3–20 pistillate and fertile (0 pistillate in A. nesiotica, A. palmeri); central (or all) 14–70 bisexual and fertile; corollas funnelform.