Shrubs or under-shrubs, mostly erect, sometimes prostrate; leaves small, flat or more or less scale-like, simple exstipulate, sessile, alternate, opposite or often crowded. Inflorescence terminal or lateral racemes or spikes, sometimes leafy at the base. Bracts ovate, lanceolate, triangular or rhomboid, obtuse, acute or long acuminate. Flowers bisexual, fairly large, pentamerous, pink, lilac or white. Calyx deeply 5-lobed almost up to the base. Petals 5, free, inserted below the almost obsolete disc, oblong or obovate. Stamens 10, alternately long or short, filaments connate to half or more, anthers oblong, ovate or sagittate, persistent. Stigmas 3, capitate, sessile, ovary narrowed at the apex, triquetrous or pyramidal, with basal placentation, placentas very short, adnate to the middle of the valves. Ovules numerous; seeds many, exalbuminous, glabrous, usually produced into a plumose coma or stipe at the apex.