A genus of north American daisies - but daisies with impeccable good taste. They usually have grey leaves, caused by many fine hairs, an indication that they come from places that are dry in summer. The daisies are often large, barely standing over the lower foliage, so the plants make an impact with their flower power. Some are michaelmas daisy colour, others lighter or paler, even white, and all have yellow centres.

Townsendia alpigena has pink or purplish pink, yellow-centred daisy flowers on extremely short stems, so that the flowers nestle in the foliage.