For generic synonyms see Harms, and Killip, loc. cit.Mostly perennial climbing herbs to large lianas, rarely (not in Africa) shrubs or trees, glabrous or hairy, provided with tendrils. Leaves mostly alternate, unlobed to deeply lobed, palminerved or pinninerved, petiolate; margin mostly dentate, often with small gland-teeth; petiole with or without glands; blade-glands present or not. Stipules minute to large. Inflorescences sessile or peduncled, 1–many-flowered, with or without a simple tendril, or rarely flowers collected into pseudoracemes; bracts and bracteoles small to large, forming a conspicuous involucre or not. Flowers hermaphrodite, 5-merous; hypanthium saucer-shaped to cylindrical. Sepals and petals free, often brightly coloured; petals mostly resembling sepals, membranous, sometimes absent. Corona extrastaminal, variously shaped, simple or mostly composed of a usually complicated outer corona consisting of threads, and flat or plicate inner coronas, sometimes with the addition of a nectary ring or annulus. Androgynophore mostly distinct, 3 mm. or more; stamens 5(–8), free (or in some Asian species partly connate), in older flowers mostly reflexed; anthers dorsifixed, versatile, elliptic to linear. Gynophore absent or sometimes up to 7 mm.; ovary globose to fusiform; styles 3(–4), free or connate at base; stigmas capitate. Fruit usually indehiscent, ± baccate, often with coriaceous exocarp, globose, ellipsoid or rarely fusiform, containing many seeds.