Rhizomes short, with tufted roots. Leaves basal, subterete, grooved, base sheathing. Flowering stems erect, simple, slightly shorter than leaves. Inflorescence an abbreviated cyme, capitate, (1 or)2--5-flowered; bracts 8--18 per flower, sheathing stem, leaflike. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic; pedicel very short. Perianth corollalike; segments basally connate into a tube, inner ones slightly smaller than outer. Stamens inserted opposite perianth segments, outer ones slightly larger than inner and attached near middle of perianth tube; inner ones attached at base of inner perianth segments and with short filaments; anthers nearly dorsifixed, locules 2, parallel; connective slightly exserted. Ovary inferior; ovules many. Style columnar; stigma (2 or)3-lobed. Fruiting a capsule, obliquely lanceolate, slightly 3-angled, beaked. Seeds numerous, ellipsoid.

Acanthochlamys has also been treated as belonging to the Velloziaceae (Wu, J. Jap. Bot. 63: 297--311. 1988) or placed in its own family, the Acanthochlamydaceae (Kao, Acta Bot. Sichuan. 1--14. 1989).

* One species: China.