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Mostly succulents, occasionally with short stems, occasionally unbranched, glabrous, pubescent or glandular. Leaves spirally arranged and/or in a basal rosette, occasionally with axillary hairs. Flowers arranged in mostly terminal, occasionally axillary thyrsi (corymboid or not), glomeruli or dichasia, or solitary. Bracts and bracteoles subulate or leaf-like, partly without an axillary axis. Calyx accrescent (caducous in the American sp. C. punae). Sepals glabrous, pubescent, spiny or glandular, occasionally with dentate, ciliate or glandular margin. Petals 5-7, persistent, twisted after anthesis. Stamens 3-∞, anthers linear to elliptic. Ovary superior; style 1 with 3-5 arms (seldom 3 simple styles). Fruit pyriform, globular, obpyriform or elleptic, 3-7-valved. Seeds at least occasionally without a caruncle,
Glabrous or hairy, taprooted or rhizomatous, annual or perennial rosette herbs. Stems usually many, branched or not, vegetative and reproductive. Lvs many, alternate on stems. Infl. a terminal raceme or cyme, bracteate, sometimes fls solitary. Sepals persistent or deciduous. Petals 5-(7). Stamens 5-many. Ovary superior, of (2)-3-(4) fused carpels; style branches (2)-3-(4). Ovules (2)-many. Capsule 1-locular, dehiscing by (2)-3-(4) valves. Seeds (2)-many.
