Branched xerophytic shrubs with small alternate or fascicled leaves. Flowers dioecious, 4–5(–6)-merous, axillary. Sepals subequal in the ♂ flowers but in the ♀ flowers the outer 2–3 are larger and accrescent or if all sepals are accrescent then the outer ones are much larger. Corolla small, funnel-shaped, several times longer than the calyx in ♂ flowers but only very slightly longer in ♀ flowers, 4–5-lobed. Anthers present but infertile in ♀ flowers. Ovary glabrous, 2-locular, 4-ovuled, present but sterile in ♂ flowers. Styles 2; stigmas filiform, complicate, U-shaped with short lobes at intervals. Capsule 2-locular, 4-valved, 1–4-seeded, enveloped in the membranous veined accrescent sepals. Seeds trigonous, glabrous.
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