Fls small, perfect, 3-bracteolate, in spikes or racemes; per. tube with 6 segs. Perfect stamens 9 in 3 series; two outer with introrse anthers, filaments eglandular; inner with extrorse anthers, filaments biglandular at base; innermost of 3 staminodes. Stigma small, fr. enclosed in enlarged per. tube, crowned by persistent segs. Twining parasites attached to host by suckers; lvs absent or reduced to minute scales. About 15, mainly Australian, spp., but extending to S. Africa and Borneo. The N.Z. sp. occurs also in Australia.

Parasitic plants attached to the host by small haustoria; stems twining, ± wiry, green to orange, chlorophyllous. Lvs 0 or reduced to minute scales. Fls small, in sessile or pedunculate heads, spikes or racemes, ☿, actinomorphic, perigynous initially but perianth tube developing and enclosing fr.; bracts minute. Perianth segments 6, in 2 whorls, outer smaller than inner, persistent. Stamens 9, in 3 whorls; outer 2 whorls with introrse anthers and eglandular filaments; inner whorl with extrorse anthers and glandular filaments. Staminodes usually 3, comprising 4th whorl. Style short. Fr. a berry, enclosed by succulent perianth tube, with 2-layered skin, the outer layer thin, the inner hard.