Low shrubs. Stems woody, much branched. Leaves opposite or the lower whorled, fleshy, terete-linear; stipules small, scarious. Flowers clustered in short-peduncled, axillary or sometimes terminal, head-like cymes, reddish. Calyx with urn-shaped base and 5 some¬what hooded and aristate lobes, later indurated. Petals 5, short, setaceous. Stamens 5, alternating with petals. Ovary 1-celled, 1-ovuled; ovule pendulous from apex of funicle; style long, with 3 stigmas. Utricle membranous, indehiscent, at length rupturing at base, included within calyx. Seed oblong-reniform, with horseshoe-shaped embryo surrounding the endosperm.