Herbs or undershrubs. Leaves elliptic-ovate, entire or lobed. Inflorescence terminal spike or axillary fascicles or flowers solitary. Flowers with 3, linear, persistent bracts. Calyx campanulate. Petals 5, obovate-cuneate, yellow. Staminal tube branched at the apex. Carpels 5-many; ovary 5-many loculed, each locule uniovulate, style branches as many as carpels; stigma capitate. Mericarps indehiscent, with or without awns, strigose. Seeds glabrous reniform, usually exalbuminous.