From the Greek picros (bitter), in reference to the bitter taste of at least some members of this genus.

Annual to perennial, taprooted herbs, branched, rarely unbranched; stems and leaves hispid. Indumentum with mainly 2-hooked or mainly 2-, 3- and 4-hooked anchor hairs. Leaves simple, alternate, basal and cauline. Inflorescence paniculate or rarely solitary. Capitula terminal, pedunculate; involucre of 1–4 irregular outer and 2 inner rows; outer involucral bracts more than 5, imbricate, upright to squarrose; receptacle naked, shallowly alveolate or smooth (not Australia). Florets: ligule yellow. Achenes homomorphic or heteromorphic (not Australia), fusiform, cuspidate, usually of 5 segments, transversely ribbed; ribs scaly. Pappus rays of marginal achenes plumose or scabrous (not Australia), or reduced (not Australia); of central achenes plumose, creamy white, in 2 rows, joined to a ring at base or free (not Australia).

2n = 10 (3 species, 3 subspecies studied), H.W. Lack, Phytologia 42: 211 (1972); S. Holzapfel, Willdenowia 24: 97–218 (1994).

A genus of 45–50 species from the Mediterranean region, Africa, central Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand; 10 native species in Australia of which nine are endemic, two further species known from two collections each, but apparently not naturalised.

A specimen of Picris (now as P. angustifolia subsp. carolorum-henricorum) was among plants collected by J. Banks and D. Solander during their first landfall at Botany Bay in 1770. Despite this fact, the genus has often been treated as introduced to Australia.

See S. Holzapfel, Willdenowia 24: 97–218 (1994) for detailed descriptions of the Australian specimens of both species.

Picris hieracioides (subsp. hieracioides) has been collected from Queensland and Tasmania. Picris altissima has been collected in South Australia and New South Wales. Apart from the characters of indumentum and pappus, P. altissima is distinguished from Australian species by its branches spreading at a wider angle (often 60° or more) and its marginal achenes being enfolded by the inner involucral bracts.

One species frequently cited as naturalised in Australia, P. echioides, has been transferred to Helminthotheca Zinn, as H. echioides (L.) Holub.

Picris hieracioides L. (Hawkweed) and P. altissima Delile, the only non-native species of Picris s. str. in Australia, are each known from only two early collections and appear to have not successfully naturalised here. Most previous collections of native species of Picris in Australia (including Norfolk Island) and New Zealand have been incorrectly identified as P. hieracioides.

Green, P.S. (1994). Picris, in Wilson, A.J.G. (ed.), Flora of Australia 49: 369–370. (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra).

Holzapfel, S. (1994). A revision of the genus Picris (Asteraceae, Lactuceae) s.l. in Australia. Willdenowia 24: 97–218.

Holzapfel, S. (2015). Picris, in Wilson, A.J.G. (ed.), Flora of Australia 37: 143–155. (ABRS: Canberra/CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne).

Holzapfel, S. & Lack, H.W. (1993). New species of Picris (Asteraceae, Lactuceae) from Australia. Willdenowia 23: 181–191.

Lack, H.W. (1974). Die Gattung Picris L., sensu lato, im ostmediterran-westasiatischen Raum, Dissertation der Universitaet Wien 116.

Lack, H.W. (1979). New species of Picris (Asteraceae, Lactuceae) from Australia. Phytologia 42: 209–214.

Murray, L. & Brown, E.A. (1992). Picris, in Harden, G.J. (ed.), Flora of New South Wales 3: 334–335.

Thompson, I.R. (2007). A taxonomic treatment of tribe Lactuceae (Asteraceae) in Australia. Muelleria 25: 59–100.

Flora of Australia Volume 37 (2015).