Herbs, perennial. Stems short. Leaves opposite, rosulate, petiolate; leaf blade margin undulate, crenulate, or rarely subentire. Inflorescences terminal, spikes or thyrses; bracts usually subleaflike; bracteoles present. Flowers sessile. Calyx subequally to equally 5-lobed. Corolla white, bluish, or pink; tube basally cylindric and slender, apically expanded into a throat; limb 5-lobed; lobes subequal, contorted in bud, apex rounded or obtuse. Stamens 4, didynamous, inserted at base of throat; filaments glabrous; anthers 2-thecous; thecae usually widely separated by a broad connective, ± parallel; staminodes absent. Ovary glabrous, with 4-8 ovules per locule; style pubescent; stigma pubescent, 2-cleft, upper lobe very short or reduced. Capsule cylindric, not stipitate, 8-16-seeded; retinacula present. Seeds lenticular, pubescent with hygroscopic hairs.
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