Herbs, perennial, erect. Taproots fusiform. Rhizomes horizontal. Basal leaves dense, rosulate; leaf blade serrate or pinnatifid; cauline leaves decussate, otherwise similar. Inflorescence paniculiform, flowers in remote, terminal, simple or compound dichasia, all parts densely white villous and glandular hairy; bracts linear; involucels 2, urceolate, outer involucel 4-lobed, outer surface glandular pubescent, inner involucel 8-ribbed. Flowers nearly actinomorphic. Calyx reduced, 4-lobed. Corolla tubular-funnelform, 5-lobed; lobes subequal, imbricate in bud. Stamens 4, equal in length, alternate with corolla lobes; anthers introrse, versatile. Style solitary; stigma capitate. Achenes enveloped in urceolate involucels. Seeds subglobose, acute at both ends, smooth, with 2 obscure angles; endosperm copious; embryo small.

Triplostegia pinifolia H. Léveillé and T. mairei H. Léveillé have been identified respectively as Sedum fastigiatum J. D. Hooker & Thomson (Crassulaceae) and Chrysosplenium macrophyllum Oliver (Saxifragaceae) by L. A. Lauener (Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh 30: 284, 290. 1970).

Two species: from India and Nepal northward to Gansu, southward to Malaysia, and eastward to Taiwan; two species in China.