8862.000 Pteronia L.

Shrubs or shrublets, often viscid, spiny, rarely with decumbent branches rooting at nodes. Leaves opposite or alternate, sometimes fascicled, entire, sometimes succulent. Capitula discoid, solitary or corymbose, 1-many-flowered. Involucre campanulate to cylindric or ovoid; phyllaries in 4-10 rows, inner progressively longer. Receptacle convex to concave often honeycombed; margins setose or lacerate. Corolla yellow, rarely purple or greenish; tube usually widening above; lobes 5, triangular. Pappus usually in 2 rows of bristles, mostly straw coloured, rarely purple.

Worldwide: 20 species, mainly in southern Africa.

Botswana: 3 taxa.