Hieracium L.

Perennial rhizomatous herbs; stolons present or 0. Hairs stellate, plumose, simple and eglandular, and glandular, in various proportions. Stems branching or scapose. Lvs simple, usually toothed, usually basal and cauline, or all basal, sometimes basal rosette 0. Capitula solitary or paired or in lax to compact cymes or corymbose panicles. Involucral bracts narrowly triangular to linear, usually hairy; outer bracts < inner; inner bracts in several imbricate series. Receptacle areolate, the margins of areoles glabrous and usually dentate or fimbriate; scales 0. Corolla ligulate, usually yellow, rarely orange, sometimes with red or pink stripe on outer face. Style branches filiform, yellow or discoloured. Achenes numerous, dark, cylindric, 10-ribbed, not beaked; pappus bristles in 1 row or partly in 2 rows, usually dirty white, > achenes, often unequal, simple, free at base.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]