Annual herbs or shrubs with fleshy alternate leaves. Leaves semi-cylindrical to subglobular, sessile, mucronate, mostly terminating in a stiff bristle. Flowers hermaphrodite and pistillate together, crowded in axils among dense wool; middle flowers bractless, the laterals with 2-3 bracteoles. Perianth segments 5, nearly free, without mid-rib, the outer 2 or 3 (rarely all) gibbous or winged on back in fruit. Stamens (2-3-) 5; anthers with short or no appendages; staminodes 4-5, alternating with stamens. Ovary ovoid; style short with 2, filiform stigmas. Fruit (utricle) included in perianth with adherent, membranous pericarp; seed vertical (or horizontal), exalbuminous.