Shrubs, mostly 0.5–2 m. from a single haustorial connection, rarely with subcortical runners; twigs terete to slightly compressed or angular; hairs, if present, simple or irregularly branched. Leaves alternate to opposite, sometimes crowded on short shoots, shortly petiolate; lateral nerves spreading-ascending to strongly ascending from the base. Flowers borne in sessile to pedunculate heads or umbels, clustered or rarely singly in the axils, sometimes terminal on short shoots; bract shallowly to distinctly cupular, with a small to leafy limb. Calyx saucer-shaped to tubular, entire to slightly toothed. Corolla 5-lobed, the lobes relatively short, occasionally ( A. platyphyllus ) longer than the tube, generally conspicuously banded in different colours; mature buds developing vents below the tip (bud-apex swollen or not) and opening with a short V-split; basal swelling present or absent; lobes linear-lanceolate to linear-elliptic above the claw, generally remaining erect, sometimes shiny and hardened inside. Filaments inserted near top of corolla-tube or on claw if lobes exceptionally long, short, inflexed or rarely inrolled, sometimes corrugated, sometimes hardened at tip, with or without a ledge or tooth in front of the anther; anthers 4-thecous, linear, with connective not or only slightly produced at the apex. Style isodiametric or swollen opposite the filaments and constricted above (skittle-shaped); stigma small, capitate. Berry ellipsoid to obovoid, smooth to warty, usually ripening red.