General description:- Annual to perennial herbs, rarely shrubs.
Leaves:- Opposite or arranged in whorls (verticillate), exstipulate.
Flowers:- In a dense, cymose capitulum subtended by involucral bracts, often with marginal flowers radiate, rarely in a spike of verticillasters. Florets hermaphrodite or female, usually zygomorphic, each with a basal epicalyx (involucel) of united (connate) bracteoles which may be expanded distally into a corona, often subtended by a receptacular scale. Calyx small, cupuliform or divided into 4-5 teeth or of numerous teeth or stiff bristles (setae). Corolla-lobes 4-5, subequal, or corolla 2-lipped. Stamens 2 or 4, epipetalous, alternating with corolla-lobes. Ovary inferior, 1-locular; ovule 1, pendent; stigma simple or 2-lobed.
Fruit:- Dry, not split open to release their seeds (indehiscent), enclosed in epicalyx and often surmounted by persistent calyx; seed 1, endospermic, with straight embryo.
CEPHALARIA
General description:- Annual, biennial or perennial herbs, rarely shrubs.
Flowers:- Capitulum ovoid or subglobose. Receptacular scales scarious. Involucel 4 or 8-angled, 8-ridged, usually with 4 or more setae. Calyx cupuliform. Corolla 4-fid, blue, lilac, white or yellow.
Key features:-
1) Marginal and central florets subequal.
2) Corolla 4-lobed.
3) Involucral bracts in more than 3 rows.
DIPSACUS
General description:- Stout, biennial herbs, with prickly stems more or less branched above.
Leaves:- Opposite, often connate.
Flowers:- Capitulum globose to subglobose, ovoid or cylindrical. Involucral bracts in 1-2 rows, linear or lanceolate, erect to patent, with apical spine. Receptacular scales more or less spine-tipped. Involucel more or less 4-angled, united with the ovary below and ending in a short, more or less 4-lobed cup. Calyx cupuliform, ciliate, persistent in fruit. Corolla with a long tube, unequally 4-fid.
Fruit:- Achenes 4-angled, appressed-hairy.
KNAUTIA
General description:- Annual to perennial herbs.
Leaves:- Opposite, undivided to pinnate.
Flowers:- Capitula long-pedunculate, hemispherical to cylindrical, hermaphrodite or female. Involucral bracts numerous, herbaceous, free. Receptacle hemispherical, hairy, without scales. Involucel compressed, 4-angled, inconspicuous, entire to dentate in fruit. Calyx patelliform to cupuliform, with (6-)8-16(-24) minute apical awns or teeth, deciduous. Corolla-tube short; limb unequally 4-lobed, patent and often larger in marginal florets.
Fruit:- ovoid, oblong or cylindrical, more or less hairy, with soft elaiosome at base.
Key features:-
1) Calyx-setae absent or, if present, not plumose.
2) Calyx-setae or -teeth (6-)8-16(-24).
3) Receptacle hairy, without scales.
SCABIOSA - LOMELOSIA
General description:- Annual to perennial herbs, rarely woody at base.
Leaves:- Opposite, simple or pinnate, often in non-flowering basal rosettes.
Flowers:- Capitula long-stemmed (pedunculate); involucral bracts herbaceous, in 1-3 rows. Receptacle hemispherical to cylindrical; receptacular bracts usually linear-lanceolate. Involucel-tube cylindrical, 8-ribbed, expanded above into an orbicular or funnel-shaped (infundibuliform), thin dry scarious corona with many, sometimes excurrent, veins. Calyx cupuliform below, the upper part usually prolonged into 5 setae. Corolla with 5 unequal lobes and a short tube, usually longer in marginal than central florets.
Key features:-
1) Calyx-setae or -teeth 4-5 or absent.
2) Receptacle not hairy, with scales.
3) Marginal florets radiate; corolla 5-lobed.
Sect. TROCHOCEPHALUS
Flowers:- Involucel-tube with 8 pits below the corona.
PTEROCEPHALUS
General description:- Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs with usually hairy stems.
Flowers:- Capitula hemispherical; the outer florets sometimes radiate. Receptacular scales hairy or absent. Involucel sulcate, with terminal seta, minute teeth or a short corona. Calyx short, stipitate, with 5-24 plumose setae. Corolla 5-fid
Key features:-
1) Involucral bracts free; calyx-setae present or absent in all florets
2) Calyx-setae plumose.
3) Fruiting involucel with longitudinal furrows running the whole length.
SCABIOSA
General description:- Annual to perennial herbs, rarely woody at base.
Leaves:- Opposite, simple or pinnate, often in non-flowering basal rosettes.
Flowers:- Capitula long-stemmed (pedunculate); involucral bracts herbaceous, in 1-3 rows. Receptacle hemispherical to cylindrical; receptacular bracts usually linear-lanceolate. Involucel-tube cylindrical, 8-ribbed, expanded above into an orbicular or funnel-shaped (infundibuliform), thin dry scarious corona with many, sometimes excurrent, veins. Calyx cupuliform below, the upper part usually prolonged into 5 setae. Corolla with 5 unequal lobes and a short tube, usually longer in marginal than central florets.
Key features:-
1) Calyx-setae or -teeth 4-5 or absent.
2) Receptacle not hairy, with scales.
3) Marginal florets radiate.
4) Corolla 5-lobed.
Sect. CYRTOSTEMMA
Flowers:- Ribs on involucel-tube becoming wider and confluent upwards; corona with 8 veins joining at the margin.