Herbs perennial, with a short, thickened, slightly fleshy rhizome, glabrous. Leaves basal, rosulate, linear to lanceolate or oblanceolate, or spatulate, basally gradually narrowed to a petiole. Scape arising from axils of lateral leaves, erect, simple, with several to many scaly leaves. Inflorescence a terminal raceme, 2--30-flowered; bract absent. Flowers bisexual, usually nodding at anthesis, ascending in fruit, spreading funnelform. Tepals 6, free, with a nectary gland basally on adaxial side, persistent. Stamens 6, rather long, free from tepals, inner ones basally adnate to ovary, outer ones free; anthers usually reniform, basifixed, with confluent locules. Ovary superior, 3-lobed, 3-loculed; ovules many per locule. Style 1, very short to long; stigma capitate to 3-cleft. Fruit a capsule, trigonous, 3-lobed apically, loculicidal. Seeds numerous, narrowly fusiform, both ends caudate.

Five species: Bhutan, China, Myanmar, Nepal; five species (three endemic) in China.

(Authors: Chen Xinqi (陈心启 Chen Sing-chi); Minoru N. Tamura)