Herbs terrestrial or epiphytic, with tuberous rhizomes. Pseudostems erect, leafy. Ligule conspicuous; leaf blade usually oblong or lanceolate. Inflorescence a terminal spike, densely numerous flowered; bracts imbricate or lax, 1- or more flowered; bracteoles tubular. Calyx tubular, usually split on 1 side, apex truncate or 3-toothed. Corolla tube long, slender; lobes reflexed at anthesis, linear. Lateral staminodes petaloid, larger than corolla lobes. Labellum suborbicular, large, apex usually 2-cleft; claw long or short. Filament usually long, rarely absent; anther dorsifixed, base divaricate; connective appendage absent. Ovary 3-loculed; placentation axile. Capsule globose, 3-valved. Seeds numerous; aril lacerate.

Hedychium gardnerianum Roscoe, which is cultivated in China as an ornamental, is not described in this account.

About 50 species: Africa (Madagascar), tropical to warm-temperate Asia; 28 species (18 endemic) in China.