Perennials or subshrubs, (1-)5-60(-70) cm (usually aromatic). Stems 1-5+ (with interxylary cork), lax to erect, branched from bases or throughout, glabrous or sericeous to tomentose (hairs medifixed), usually gland-dotted as well. Leaves mostly basal (sometimes in rosettes) or basal and cauline; alternate; petiolate or sessile; blades obovate to cuneate or linear, usually 1-2-pinnately or -palmately lobed (ultimate lobes oblanceolate to linear) or apically 3-toothed or -lobed, ultimate margins entire, faces glabrous or ± sericeous to tomentose and usually gland-dotted. Heads disciform, borne singly or (2-60+) in usually corymbiform, rarely paniculiform, arrays or in subcapitate clusters. Involucres hemispheric to campanulate, 3-5(-12) mm diam. Phyllaries persistent, (8-)12-20+ in 2-3+ series, mostly obovate, unequal to subequal, margins and apices (colorless, pinkish, or brownish) scarious. Receptacles conic to nearly flat (villous in S.potentilloides), epaleate. Ray florets 0 (peripheral pistillate florets 4-15+; corollas ± filiform, lobes usually 3). Disc florets 30-50+, bisexual, fertile; corollas usually bright yellow (ochroleucous in S. cana), tubes ± cylindric, throats ± campanulate, lobes 5, ± deltate (tips glabrous or hairy). Cypselae columnar or obovoid to obconic, ribs 2-3 or 5-10, faces glabrous or gland-dotted (pericarps with myxogenic cells only in S.potentilloides, without resin sacs); pappi usually 0 (of 3-5 subulate scales in S. compacta). x = 9.
