Perennial, rarely annual herbs, decumbent to suberect, brittle, usually with variegated, striped leaves, greenish. Inflorescence short, included within a pair of unequal, folded, leafy bracts. Sepals 2-3-lobed, tubular. Corolla tubular below, lobes free, ovate. Stamens 6, fertile, epipetalous. Ovary 3-loculed with 1-2 ovules in each locale.