Description: Herbs, annual or with a perennial root stock.
Leaves ternately divided.
Inflorescence a simple umbel with an involucre of white to slightly coloured, often tomentose or woolly radiating bracts; the inflorescence having the appearance of a 'daisy'. Flowers mixed, the outer often male, others bisexual and/or female; white, cream, green or pink. Sepals lobed or truncate. Petals 5, spathulate or ± circular, or absent. Stylopodium oblong-conical.
Fruit ovate to circular, compressed; carpophore absent; mericarp single, 5-ribbed.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 15 species, Australia & New Zealand. Australia: 15 species (14 species endemic), all states except S.A.
Text by J. M. Powell, except for genera with authors listed
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the genus Actinotus | |
| 1 | Erect slender herb; involucre of umbel 2.5–8 cm diam | Actinotus helianthi |
| 1* | Diffuse herb with wiry stems; involucre of umbel less than 3 cm diam | 2 |
| 2 | Peduncles mostly more than 3.5 cm long | 3 |
| 3 | Leaves more or less glabrous; involucre more than 16 mm diam.; petals present on outer flowers | Actinotus forsythii |
| 3* | Leaves white-tomentose below; involucre less than 15 mm diam.; petals absent | Actinotus minor |
| 2* | Peduncles less than 1 cm long | 4 |
| 4 | Leaves plumose-hairy, often stem-clasping; fruit 1.9–2.7 mm long | Actinotus paddisonii |
| 4* | Leaves glabrous or with scattered hairs, not stem-clasping; fruit 1–1.8 mm long | Actinotus gibbonsii |
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