Citation: Fenzl ex Endl., Gen. Pl. Suppl. 3:70 (1843).

Derivation: Greek aktinos, ray-like or radiating structure; bolos, a lump or mass of anything; referring to the general appearance of the florets surrounded by the reflexed laminae of the capitular bracts.

Synonymy: Gnaphalodes A. Gray, Hooker's J. Bot. Kew Gard. Misc. 4:228 (1852), nom. illegit.

Common name: None

Description:
Annual herbs, hairy; leaves alternate sometimes appearing opposite, sessile, tomentose.

Inflorescence of 1 capitulum or of 2-12 capitula in a compound head, all inflorescences with a general involucre of leaves and leaf-like bracts; general receptacle disc-like or slightly branched, hairy; capitular bracts in several rows, usually hyaline except for an opaque green midrib extending for about two-thirds to three-quarters the length, rarely the entire bract leaf-like except for a hyaline apex; outermost bracts with the lamina barely constricted and all bracts united by long hairs along their margin; middle bracts with the upper part of the lamina constricted and reflexed and all bracts united by long hairs at the constriction; innermost bracts with the upper part of the lamina constricted and reflexed, all bracts free; partial receptacle conical, glabrous; florets tubular, bisexual, 5-merous, rarely 4-merous; style branches truncate, with short sweeping hairs; stamens 5, rarely 4; anthers tailed and each with a terminal appendage.

Achenes obovoid, glabrous; pappus of 5, rarely 4, bristles which are fused at their base, each bristle tapering toward the apex and plumose for most of its length, sometimes ending in a shortly stalked plumose tuft, the bristles subequal to the corolla tube and strongly reflexed when released from the capitulum.

Distribution:  4 species, endemic to Australia. (P.S. Short (1985) Muelleria 6:9-22.)

Biology: No text

Author: Prepared by P.S. Short