Herbs, perennial, low, unarmed, rhizomatous, sometimes with fetid odor. Raphides present. Leaves opposite or sometimes basalmost pairs reduced to prophylls, without domatia; stipules persistent, interpetiolar and fused to petioles, triangular or 3(or 5)-lobed, often glandular-dentate. Inflorescences terminal and in uppermost leaf axils (or subtended by leaflike bracts), fasciculate and 2-to several flowered or sometimes 1-flowered, pedunculate or subsessile, bracteate or bracts reduced. Flowers pedunculate or pedicellate, bisexual, apparently monomorphic. Calyx limb deeply 5-lobed, usually markedly reticulate-veined, with lobes often unequal. Corolla white or purplish red, slenderly tubular-funnelform to salverform, inside glabrous or pubescent in throat; lobes 5, valvate-induplicate in bud. Stamens 5, inserted at base of corolla tube, included to exserted; filaments short to developed; anthers dorsifixed. Ovary 4-or 5-celled, ovules 1 in each cell, anatropous on basal placentas; stigmas 2-, 4-or 5-lobed, exserted. Fruit capsular, obconic to hemispherical, papery, dehiscent through apical lid or operculum within persistent calyx limb, with pedicels becoming reflexed; seeds 3-5, obovoid, longitudinally grooved (or with many longitudinal idioblasts containing raphides).
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