Herbs perennial. Stems erect, sometimes procumbent in basal part. Rhizomes long. Leaves alternate. Inflorescences borne at each node of middle part of stem, shortly pedunculate, penetrating leaf sheaths, each consisting of several cymes, usually capitate and sessile, sometimes corymbose or paniculate. Flowers nearly actinomorphic. Sepals free, carinate, herbaceous. Petals free, purplish, oblong or obovate-orbicular. Stamens 6, all fertile, subequal; filaments torulose villous; anther locules parallel, ovoid, longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary 3-loculed; ovules 2 per locule, sometimes 1 in posterior locule. Capsule 3-valved, globose or ovoid, trigonous. Seeds (1 or)2 per valve, cylindric, trigonous, rugose, reticulate; hilum linear.
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