Herbs annual or rhizomatous perennial, sometimes with woody tubers. Leaf base cuneate-decurrent. Verticillasters 2-14-flowered, pedunculate, in elongated terminal racemes. Calyx subcampanulate, 8-10-veined; teeth 5, posterior tooth larger, apex caudate, or limb 2-lipped and lower lip 2-toothed; fruiting calyx very dilated, conspicuously veined. Corolla tube straight to arcuate, exserted, funnelform, 2-lipped, without hairy annulus, sometimes puberulent or villous inside; upper lip 2-lobed, lobes circular; lower lip 3-lobed, middle lobe longest. Stamens 4, subequal or anterior 2 longer, inserted on apical half of corolla tube; filaments complanate, glabrous or puberulent; anthers ovoid, cells 2, divaricate, becoming confluent at apex. Style as long as to longer than stamens. Disc swollen in front. Nutlets oblong, few striate, glabrous, basal scar white, apex rounded.

Six to eight species: all endemic to China.

Hanceola labordei and H. mairei are poorly known and doubtfully belong here. They are not included in the key above, but brief descriptions are given.