Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Erect perennial herbs 0.1–4 m tall with branched or unbranched leafy shoots.

Stems:

Roots: Fibrous root system.

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate, either only basal, basal and cauline, or only cauline. Blades uneven–sided but the symmetry of all leaves identical, ovate, obovate, or elliptic. Surfaces glabrous or pubescent. Margins entire. Closely parallel S-shaped lateral veins, the veins often prominent and upon drying resulting in leaf blades ridged or pleated in cross section, occasionally patterned, glabrous or pubescent. Petiolate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers paired, usually sessile, in terminal inflorescences on leafy–shoots or separate on leafless shoots, bracts green or variously colored, spirally arranged or distichous, persistent but sometimes tearing into fibers, secondary bracts and bracteoles usually present; floral tube slender, usually 4–25 times longer than wide. Flowers bisexual (perfect), zygomorphic. Calyx of 3 sepals. Corolla of 3 petals. Outer staminodes (0)1. Ovary inferior, 3-celled.

Fruit: Capsules with three seeds. Seeds arillate.

Ploidy:

Habitat: Forest understory.

Elevation Range: