Shrubs, low, erect, unarmed or with spinescent branches; branches at base with a pair of reduced, usually deciduous leaves and a persistent stipule. Raphides apparently absent. Leaves opposite, sometimes fasciculate on unexpanded axillary stems and appearing whorled, subsessile, without domatia; stipules deciduous, interpetiolar or fused to petiole bases, 2-lobed, lobes gland-tipped. Inflorescences terminal, pseudoaxillary, or terminal on paired lateral short shoots and appearing axillary, congested-cymose to umbelliform or fasciculate, few to many flowered, often nodding, sessile to pedunculate; bracts reduced or occasionally leaflike. Flowers pedicellate, bisexual, apparently monomorphic. Calyx limb 5-lobed essentially to base. Corolla white, pink, or pale yellow, salverform to funnelform, glabrous inside; lobes 5, convolute in bud. Stamens 5, inserted in corolla throat, exserted; filaments short; anthers dorsifixed near base. Ovary 2-celled, ovules 1 in each cell, pendulous from apex; style curved; stigma clavate to ellipsoid and 2-lobed for a third to half its length, exserted. Fruit schizocarpous, dry, oblanceoloid, with calyx limb persistent; mericarps 2, indehiscent, each with 1 seed, ellipsoid, crustaceous; seeds medium-sized, ellipsoid; testa leathery; endosperm absent; embryo linear-oblanceolate.
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