Herbs, shrubs, occasionally climbers. Lvs alternate, exstipulate, commonly in basal rosettes. Infl. spicate, paniculate, or capitate, simple or cymosely branched, often scapose; fls often aggregated into small bracteate spikelets. Bracts often sheathing, dry and scarious. Fls 5-merous, ☿. Calyx gamosepalous, tubular below, usually scarious, sometimes partly membranous; lobes often conspicuously ribbed and pleated, often persistent. Corolla mostly gamopetalous, imbricate, often connate only near base, sometimes tube long. Stamens antipetalous, ± epipetalous, but sometimes only adnate to base of segments. Disc 0. Ovary superior, usually sessile, 1-locular; placenta basal; ovule 1, pendulous; styles 5, or 1 with 5 stigmatic lobes. Fr. dry, membranous, indehiscent or regularly or irregularly dehiscent, surrounded by calyx. Seed with mealy endosperm.