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Stamens 5; filaments connate in upper part or almost free from each other, usually attached to the corolla–tube at the base; anthers united into a tube, all of them penicillate at the tip, the two lateral ones somewhat longer than the others and with shorter hairs at the tip.
Flowers resupinate or not, in racemes or solitary in leaf axils, pedicellate or sessile; bracteoles conspicuous resembling small leaves (in all tropical African species), or absent.
Corolla split to the base on the back (or on the lower side in non–resupinate flowers), 2–lipped to subregular, the lower lip (or the upper one in non–resupinate flowers) 3–lobed.
Ovary inferior or almost so, 2–locular; stigma–lobes linear, becoming revolute and with a ring of hairs present on the style below them.
Fruit dehiscing by 2 apical valves or ± indehiscent; seeds numerous, usually reticulate.
Leaves alternate, opposite or verticillate.
Annual or perennial herbs.
Calyx 5–lobed.
