Succulent, tufted herbs. Roots fleshy. Stems obtusely 4-angled, with acute teeth along angles, glabrous; teeth conical or compressed-deltoid. Leaves rudimentary, early caducous. Inflorescence from base of stem, a congested cyme. Corolla campanulate, rugulose or verrucose; tube short; lobes free at tips, valvate. Annular and corolline coronas absent; gynostegial corona of both staminal and interstaminal parts present. Stamens connate into gynostegium, not markedly capitate. Anthers 2-locular, lacking terminal appendage; pollen in linear tetrads; pollinaria with 2 ovate to subcircular pollinia with pellucid germinating mouth along inner edge; corpusculum ovate; caudicles not winged, not geniculate. Style-head depressed-globose. Follicles fusiform. Seeds flattened, ovate, comose at micropylar end.
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