Young branches slightly quadrangular, variously pubescent. Leaves petiolate or subsessile. Flowers solitary or 2-6 in cymes, on lateral short branches borne on previous year’s growth or at apices of branches. Calyx tube narrowly cylindric; limb 5-lobed, free to middle or nearly to base. Corolla white or pink to crimson, campanulate-funnelform; tube narrow basally, expanding abruptly; limb subregular, 5-lobed; anthers at mouth of tube or weakly exserted; style slender, strongly exserted; stigma capitate or 2-lobed. Fruit leathery or woody, central axis and style bases persistent; seeds wingless or narrowly winged.

About ten species: NE Asia; two species in China.