Tufted, herbaceous or shrub-like, usually glabrous, rhizomatous perennials. Roots fibrous, sometimes ± fleshy. Stems short, leafy. Leaves few, reducing rapidly to bracts upwards. Inflorescences perennating, irregularly paniculate; flowers bisexual, ± regular, pedicellate, solitary or in clusters of 2–6 along spike-like racemules or in branch axils. Perianth ± petaloid, spirally twisting, deciduous; segments 6, ± free, subequal, 3-veined. Sepals apiculate; apicula adaxially appendaged. Stamens 6, epitepalous, shorter than perianth; filaments glabrous or papillose; anthers dehiscing by slits, introrse, becoming extrorse. Ovary superior, 3-locular; ovules 2 per locule, 1 erect, 1 pendulous; style filiform; stigma capitate, minute. Fruit capsular and tardily dehiscent or nut-like and indehiscent or rupturing. Seed ellipsoidal, black, carunculate. For a more recent detailed description (including key features of species in the genus and relationships) see Barrett et al. (2021).
Home