Shrubs or perennial herbs, erect, scandent or prostrate, in Madagascar sometimes acaulous. Leaves entire to serrate, with 3–9 longitudinal nerves usually but not always reaching to the base. Inflorescences terminal cymes, umbelliform, corymbose, paniculate or sometimes contracted to fascicles or solitary flowers. Flowers (4–)5-merous. Calyx turbinate, ± angled, smooth or ribbed, truncate or variously toothed or lobed. Petals ovate to obovate, white, pink or red. Stamens (8–)10, equal; anthers narrowly oblong to linear; connective not or scarcely extended below the anther, but usually produced into a posterior spur-like appendage, rarely with minute lateral tubercles. Ovary adherent to the calyx-tube to varying degrees, often largely by (8–)10 septa, depressed on the upper side with a surrounding crown of 5 firm accrescent scales. Capsule ± angular, crowned by the conspicuous accrescent often slightly woody plate-or wedge-like scales. Seeds narrowly oblong to obpyramidal.
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