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Tall erect herbs up to 1 m or more. Leaf base reniform-cordate. Flowers in the axils of bracts, or pedicels connate with the bracts. Stamens (8-)6, or by abortion only 4, sometimes opposite the carpels, sometimes lateral; filaments ± free. Ovary composed of (3-)4 carpels connate at their base, each with 2(-4) ovules, only one developing. Styles free, recurving. Fruit depressed-globose, said to be subfleshy, parting into (3-)4 tubercled cocci. Testa of roundish seed reticulate.
Stems simple or branched, nodes more than 2. Leaves cauline. Inflorescences opposite leaves and/or terminal, racemes, lax, spikelike, not subtended by petaloid bracts. Flowers 175-350, not coalescent; stamens (3-)6(-8), hypogynous or epigynous; pistil 1, (3-)4-5(-7)-carpellate, connate only at base; placentation marginal; ovules 2 per placenta (only 1 developing into seed). Fruits schizocarps; mericarps dry, indehiscent. Seed 1 per mericarp. x = 11.
Stamens 6–8; carpels united at the base only, each with a short, outcurved style, stigmatic along the inner side; fr subglobose, indehiscent, strongly rugose; herbs with jointed stems, broad, alternate lvs, and white fls in slender spikes. 2, the other Asian.
