A distinctive stiff, thistle-like plant which is actually in the Parsley and Celery family (Apiacea). A rosette of very spiny, shiny, dark green leaves emerge from underground rootstock in winter. As the rosette of leaves matures in late spring, spiny thistle-like flower-heads emerge from the centre of the rosette. The large upright first flower-head is surrounded by spiny bracts.

Slender upright grass with variable leaves. The blades are usually glabrous but the sheaths are softly hairy or scabrous. The 'ligule' (structure of the junction where the leaf angles away from the culm) includes a pair of slender, pointed extentions wrap around the stem like an untied bow tie. Similar structures are found in the exotic Rye-grasses (Lolium spp.) but in Elymus these are typically a pale yellow colour. Flowerheads are slender and often arching.

A small carnivorous plant about one cm in height which grows a flat rosette of wide leaves with hairs that glisten in the sun like dew. The leaves can be green in the shade or reddish when growing in sunny areas. Several white flowers, about 3 cm in diameter each growing on a single stem, flower in winter and spring.

A low, rhizomatous groundcover with finely divided leaves to approximately 2 cm long. It grows to about 15 cm in height. Pale lilac daisy flowers are produced above the foliage on fine stems. A single plant in open ground may spread approximately 50cm in diameter.

A greyish, softly hairy herb with fine upright stems growing from a base. Buches of golden everlasting flowers are produced at the tops of the stems in spring. These stems may become decumbent and then develop hundreds of smaller stems, in this way a single plant may develop some ground-covering character as well. Variable leaf forms occur around Melbourne. Those on the Volcanic Plains north of Melbourne have very fine, thread-like leaves. Broader leaf forms occur in Heidelberg.