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Herbs or shrublets, stems often suppressed and forming caudex. Leaves alternate, often crowded into sessile rosettes, less often spaced along stems. Inflorescences usually much branched, often flat-topped, rarely capitate or spikelike; ultimate branches forming spikes with (1-or)2--13 rarely more distichously arranged spikelets; spikelets 1--5-flowered; bracts distinctly shorter than first bractlet, margin membranous; bractlet margin usually broadly membranous. Calyx funnelform, obconoid, or tubular, base straight or oblique, indistinctly herbaceous along ribs, scarious between ribs; limb scarious, inflated, or expanded, apically 5-or 10-lobed. Corolla basally connate, apically free and expanded. Stamens adnate to corolla base. Ovary obovoid, apex acute. Styles 5, free, glabrous; stigmas elongated to filiform, terete. Capsules obovoid.
Mostly perennial herbs or subshrubs, occasionally arborescent, sometimes annual. Lvs simple, often in basal rosettes, sometimes densely tufted on branches or alternate along stems, often 0 at flowering. Infl. a cymose panicle, sometimes flattened, or fls in bracteate, ± secund spikelets which are sometimes aggregated into elongated spikes, often with a scale at the base of each branch. Fls 1-5 in spikelets, each spikelet with 3 bracteoles. Calyx campanulate or funnelform, 10-ribbed at base; limb scarious, usually coloured, sometimes dentate between lobes, persistent. Corolla tube short or almost 0; segments clawed. Stamens adnate to base of corolla segments. Styles 5, free or connate at base; stigmas filiform. Fr. with circumscissile or irregular dehiscence.
Perennial, rarely annual, herbs or small shrubs. Inflorescence paniculate, often corymbose; spikes secund, sometimes grouped into compact terminal heads; spikelets 1–several-flowered, 2–several-bracteate, with a small fleshy bracteole at the base of each bract. Calyx funnel-shaped, 5-nerved; limb scarious, 5-lobed. Corolla with short tube or petals connate only at base. Stamens inserted at base of corolla. Styles 5, glabrous, free or connate at base; stigma filiform. Fruit a capsule, membranous, 1-seeded, enclosed in persistent calyx, indehiscent or irregularly dehiscent or operculate. Seed dark brown or black, long, narrow, slightly flattened, tapering slightly towards apex.
Stiff, erect herbs. Leaves rosulate, spathulate, entire or lobed, oftenlarge. Flowers in widely branched corymbs, consisting of unilateral spikes. Bracteoles unequal. Calyx tube narrow, 5-ribbed; limb scarious, coloured, teeth often mucronate. Petals mostly ± free, at the base connate with the stamens. Styles ± free, stigma cylindric, rarely (§ Goniolimon) capitate. Fruit indehiscent or capsular at the apex.
Cal tubular to obconic or funnelform, scarious except at base, shallowly 5-lobed, the lobes sometimes alternating with shorter teeth; pet 5, nearly distinct, long-clawed; stamens 5, each attached to the base of a pet; styles 5; fr a utricle; scapose perennial herbs with basal lvs and large branching infls, the fls in clusters of 1–3, enveloped at base by 2–3 scarious bracts. 200+, cosmop.
