Herbs, annual, biennial, or perennial. Stem erect, not or sparsely branched below synflorescence, leafy. Leaves pinnate to undivided. Synflorescence corymbiform or paniculiform, with few to numerous capitula. Capitula with usually 70-300 florets. Involucre campanulate to broadly campanulate, as peduncle often with stipitate glandular hairs and basally ± white tomentose. Phyllaries green, glabrous or glandular hairy; outer phyllaries in several series, gradually longer centripetally, ± imbricate with longest 1/2-3/4 as long as inner ones; inner phyllaries 8-15, ± equal in length, linear-lanceolate to linear. Receptacle naked. Florets yellow. Achene brownish, ovoid to ellipsoid, compressed, narrowed toward both ends, with (4 or)5 main ribs usually accompanied by 2 secondary ribs, smooth or transversely wrinkled. Pappus white, caducous or persistent, of numerous soft fine outer bristles intermixed with some thicker often ± easily caducous inner bristles.

The revised, wider circumscription of Sonchus is based on molecular phylogenetic analyses by S. C. Kim et al. (Molec. Phylogen. Evol. 44: 578-597. 2007) and includes several former segregates, which, however, are not present in China.

The main diversity of this genus is in E Africa, the W Mediterranean region, and the mid-Atlantic archipelagos.

About 90 species in its wider circumscription: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Pacific islands (New Zealand); five species (two introduced) in China.

(Authors: Shi Zhu (石铸 Shih Chu); Norbert Kilian)