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Plants with a ± woody erect stem, or with creeping rhizomes and with or without aerial stems. Leaves spirally arranged, often in rosettes, sometimes with the leaves arranged in 2 ranks, linear to ovate, sessile or petiolate, sometimes half-cylindric or cylindric. Inflorescences axillary, pedunculate, raceme-, panicle- or sometimes head- or umbel-like; pedicels articulated. Flowers bisexual, regular; tepals 6, similar, united at the base. Stamens 6, inserted at the top of the tube formed by the tepals; anthers 2-thecous, dorsifixed, longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary superior, 3-celled with septal nectaries; style simple; ovules 1 per cell. Fruit generally a red or orange berry, sometimes hard and woody. Seeds up to 3, globose or elongate, endospermous.