Herbs perennial, rhizomatous. Rhizome horizontal, large, sometimes with stolons. Leaves numerous, basal, spiral, long petiolate. Scape terminal, usually with a few bractlike cauline leaves. Inflorescence a terminal raceme, few to many flowered; bracts green or white. Flowers bisexual, solitary, rarely in clusters of 2 or 3; pedicel short. Perianth white to blue or lavender, tubular-campanulate or nearly funnelform; segments 6, connate. Stamens 6, free or rarely adnate to perianth tube near base; filaments filiform; anthers dorsifixed, introrse, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary 3-loculed; ovules many per locule. Style filiform; stigma capitate, small. Fruit a loculicidal capsule. Seeds many, black.

About 45 species: mainly in Japan, a few species in China, Korea, and Russia; four species (three endemic) in China.

(Authors: Chen Xinqi (陈心启 Chen Sing-chi); David E. Boufford)