Terrestrial glabrous perennial herbs with (not in Australia) or without a short rhizome. Leaves simple, acute or 3-dentate at apex (not in Australia), lanceolate to linear (not in Australia), sheathing at base, several basally clustered (not in Australia) or solitary to few, becoming smaller up flowering stem. Inflorescence an umbel-like panicle (not in Australia), simple raceme-like cyme or flowers solitary, bracteate; bracts present at base of peduncle with smaller bracts at base of pedicels. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual. Tepals free, 6 in two whorls, greenish, persistent and enlarging in fruit. Stamens 6 in two separate whorls, inserted at base of tepals; anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits; extrorse to latrorse; tetrasporangiate. Gynoecium 3-carpelled. Ovary inferior, syncarpous with free stylodia; stylodia 3. Ovules (2–) 4 (not in Australia)–many per locule; placentation axile. Fruit a capsule, dehiscing by decay of lateral or dorsal walls (not in Australia), or indehiscent. Seeds 2 (not in Australia)–numerous, crescentic or discoid, flattened; embryo minute.
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