Perennial herb to 1.2 m tall, hairy. Stems erect, simple or little-branched. Leaves once or twice divided, to 25 cm long, primary segments to 6 cm long and lanceolate, lower petiolate, upper sessile. Capitula many in dense corymbs, to 1 cm across; mostly summer. Ray florets usually absent. Achenes about 1.5 mm long. Pappus a minute toothed crown. [Pyrethrum vulgare (L.) Boiss., Chrysanthemum vulgare (L.) Bernh., C. tanacetum Vis.]
Europe, Asia
The var. crispum DC. has larger, more finely divided leaves.
T. haradjanii (Rech. f.) Grierson from Syria and Turkey is a silvery-white subshrub with 2 or 3 times divided leaves and small diskoid capitula in corymbs. [Chrysanthemum haradjanii Rech. f.]
Source: (2002). Dahlia. 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.