A comprehensive treatment of the N African genus Heteromera Pomel (Compositae, Anthemideae) is presented. Morphological, anatomical and karyological features as well as distribution maps are reported. The analysis of nrDNA and cpDNA sequence variation reveals the close relationship of the two species, with H. philaenorum exhibiting little variation and being well separated from a more diverse H. fuscata. The chromosome numbers of H. fuscata and H. philaenorum are reported for the first time. Heteromera philaenorum Maire & Weiller, Chrysanthemum fuscatum f. pubescens Trotter and Chrysanthemum fuscatum f. subcanescens Trotter are lectotypified and H. philaenorum is reported as new for the flora of Algeria and Tunisia.