Subshrubs or perennial herbs, unarmed, sometimes unbranched. Raphides present. Leaves opposite, often grouped at stem apices, perhaps without domatia; stipules caducous or persistent, interpetiolar, triangular or generally ligulate to obovate. Inflorescences terminal or pseudo-axillary, cymose, corymbiform, or racemiform with axes scorpioid, spiciform, or bearing small heads, several to many flowered, pedunculate, bracteate or bracts reduced. Flowers pedicellate to sessile, bisexual, distylous. Calyx limb shallowly to deeply 5-lobed, inside with well-developed colleters. Corolla white or yellowish green, tubular or funnelform, inside with pubescent ring in throat; lobes 5, often cucullate, valvate in bud. Stamens 5, inserted near or above middle of corolla tube, exserted or included; filaments developed; anthers dorsifixed, sometimes pubescent at one or both ends. Ovary 2-celled, ovules numerous in each locule on peltate axile placentas; stigma 2-lobed, stout, sometimes scabrous, exserted or included. Fruit baccate, fleshy except with bony endocarp, subglobose, with calyx limb persistent; seeds numerous, brown, small, angled.
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