Coarse terrestrial herbs, spreading by subterranean stolons. Leaves usually rosulate with large curved spines along the margin. Inflorescence sessile or stipitate, always compound. Sepals free or somewhat united, obtuse or acute, rarely mucronate. Petals rarely with a definite claw, dorsally united by the filaments but their margins free, not appendaged, fleshy in most species. Stamens included, their filaments forming a long or short tube at base. Anthers narrow, acute. Ovary passing gradually into the thick pedicel, the epigynous tube conspicuous to nearly lacking. Berry succulent, relatively large. Seeds few to many, flattened.
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