Greek kalos — beautiful, otos — ear, an allusion to the ear-like pappus-scales in C. cuneifolia.
Annual or perennial herbs, or rarely subshrubs, glabrous or hairy. Stems erect, ascending or decumbent, little- or much-branched. Leaves along stems and/or basal, alternate, margins usually toothed or lobed, sessile. Capitula radiate or diskiform, terminal or axillary, solitary or in open cymes, panicles or corymbs, stalked or sessile. Involucral bracts in about 3 overlapping rows. Receptacle with or without small scales, pitted, convex. Ray florets female, white, pink, violet, blue or yellow.disk florets bisexual, yellow. Achenes variable, compressed, cuneate, often winged, glabrous or hairy. Pappus of barbed bristles or prickles, sometimes scales also present, rarely reduced to a rim or absent.
A few species are occasionally found in cultivation as edge plants or in rockeries.
The following species are available periodically from nurseries: C. ancyrocarpa J.M. Black, Anchor Burr Daisy, from E Australia, a low annual herb with entire or lobed stem leaves, capitula to 15 mm across, white ray florets and anchor-like achenes with a pappus of many barbed bristles; C. anthemoides F. Muell., Cut-leaved Burr Daisy, from SE Australia, a low perennial herb with pinnate basal leaves, capitula to 15 mm across, white ray florets and winged achenes with a pappus of several barbed spines; C. cuneata (Benth.) G.L.R. Davis, Mountain Burr Daisy, from E Australia is a small perennial herb with toothed basal and stem leaves, capitula to 25 mm across, white to pinkish ray florets and compressed achenes with a pappus of several barbed bristles; C. cymbacantha F. Muell., Showy Burr Daisy, from E Australia, an erect perennial herb with toothed or lobed basal and stem leaves, capitula to 20 mm across, yellow ray florets and cylindrical achenes with a pappus of 2 basally thick, divergent bristles; C. dentex R. Br. from NE Australia, a shrub with toothed or lobed stem leaves, capitula to 13 mm across, white ray florets and compressed achenes with a pappus of 2 barbed bristles and 2 broad scales; C. erinacea Steetz, Tangled Burr Daisy, from Australia, a shrub with toothed or entire stem leaves, capitula to 15 mm across, yellow ray florets and ridged achenes with a pappus of several barbed, basally thick bristles; C. hispidula (F. Muell.) F. Muell., Bogan Flea, from Australia, a low annual herb with entire or toothed stem leaves, capitula to 10 mm across, yellow ray florets and ridged achenes with a pappus of several barbed bristles; C. inermis Maiden & Betche, Fluffy Burr Daisy, from NE Australia, a low annual herb with toothed stem leaves, capitula to 25 mm across, purple ray florets and compressed achenes with a pappus of many feathery bristles; C. lappulacea Benth., Yellow Burr Daisy, from Australia, a perennial herb or small shrub with entire to lobed stem leaves, capitula to 15 mm across, yellow ray florets and warty achenes with a pappus of 2 long and several shorter barbed bristles; C. latiuscula F.Muell. & Tate from Australia, a perennial herb with toothed basal and stem leaves, capitula to 15 mm across, yellow ray florets and ridged achenes with a pappus of several short, broad bristles; C. multicaulis (Turcz.) Druce, Woolly-headed Burr Daisy, from Western Australia and South Australia, an annual herb with toothed or lobed stem leaves, capitula to 15 mm across, white or bluish ray florets and anchor-like woolly achenes with a pappus of many short barbed bristles; C. porphyroglossa Benth., Channel Burr Daisy, from Australia, an annual herb with apically toothed or lobed stem leaves, capitula to 10 mm across, mauve ray florets, and winged achenes with a pappus of several short barbed bristles; C. scapigera Hook.,Tufted Burr Daisy, from E Australia, a tufted perennial herb with entire or sparsely toothed basal leaves, capitula to 15 mm across, white to pinkish florets, and compressed achenes with a pappus of several spreading barbed spines; and C. scabiosifolia Sond. & F. Muell., Rough Burr Daisy, from E Australia, a perennial herb with toothed or lobed basal leaves, capitula to 30 mm across, white or mauve ray florets and ridged achenes with a pappus of several long and short barbed bristles.
Achenes compressed and often winged; pappus of short bristles or prickles and sometimes also scales.
About 26 species from Australia, with a few species in SE Asia.
Source: (2002). Asteraceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.