Tall, unbranched, leafy perennial rhizomatous herbs. Leaves cauline, large, broad, pinnately veined, midrib prominent, petiolate, sheathing below. Flowers bisexual, very zygomorphic, usually large and brightly coloured, in racemes or panicles, short-pedicelled, each bracteate. Perianth-segments 6 in 2 whorls; sepals3, free, small, usually green; petals 3, similar to sepals but longer, connate at base, Staminodia (3)-4-5, petaloid, very showy, ± connate at base, the inner occasionally connate above, 1 often recurved. Stamen 1, petaloid, free, with a 1-celled anther adnate to margin of petaloid filament. Ovary inferior, 3-locular; style and stigma petaloid; ovules many. Fruit a warted capsule. A single genus of tropical and subtropical America.