Herbs perennial. Stems clustered, short. Leaves lanceolate to ovate-orbicular, base narrowed, margin usually slightly hard, cartilaginous. Flowers solitary, rarely paired, terminal, showy. Sepals elliptic or lanceolate to narrowly orbicular, margin membranous, usually cartilaginous, apex acute. Petals white, pink, or violet, obovate to obovate-elliptic.

Six species: Asia; six species (two endemic) in China.