Shrubs, rarely exceeding 1 m. in height, with haustoria bearing surface runners; hairs stellate and dendritic, sometimes with other simple ones; twigs terete to angular. Leaves alternate to opposite, petiolate; lateral nerves pinnate, principally 3–5 from the base, or obscure. Flowers axillary or terminal on short shoots in umbels or clusters, sometimes sessile, occasionally solitary; bract single, unilateral or cupular, entire or toothed. Corolla 4–5-merous, often hairy, opening spontaneously or usually explosively, zygomorphic, with a V-split on one side, generally yellow or red and green; buds often curved, somewhat inflated medially, often narrowed below the slightly ellipsoid to clavate head, sometimes developing vents below the head, often with a gland on one side; lobes shorter than tube, erect (in Africa) or reflexed, linear to spathulate. Stamens attached near the base of the corolla-lobes, erect; filaments short, straight; anthers 4-thecous, sometimes locellate, with a very small connective-appendage. Style slender, terete to angular; stigma small. Berry usually reddish, ovoid, ellipsoid or obovoid, smooth or verruculose, with a persistent calyx.