Habit: Terrestrial, Herbaceous, Trees or shrubs, Pseudostem from leaf bases, Perennials

Roots: Rhizomes, Sap clear

Stems: elongate, rounded, solid

Leaves: Leaves - petiolate, Leaves - sheathing at base, Leaves - sheath open, Leaves - simple, Leaves - cauline, Leaves - alternate, Leaves - spiral, Leaves - blade broad, Leaves - venetion parallel, Leaves - venetion pinnate-parallel, Leaves - soft, Leaves - margins entire

Inflorescence: terminal, bracteate, cymes, bracts brightly colored, Flowers pedicellate

Flowers: Flowers unisexual, Plants monoecious, Perianth present, Flowers large and showy, Flowers 3 merous, Flowers zygomorphic

Sepals/Tepals: Tepals 6 (Sepals indistinguishable from petals), Sepals colored (not green), Sepals united

Petals/Tepals: Petals 5, Petals united into tube, Petals mostly separate, Petals yellow, Petals greenish, Petals brownish

Stamens: Stamens 5, Staminodes present

Pistil: Carpels united, Carpels 3, Ovary inferior, Styles 1, Stigma terminal capitate or trilobed, Locules 3, Placentation axile

Fruit: Fruit - berry

Seeds: Seeds - numerous per locule, Seeds - lacking tuft of hair, Seeds - surface +/- smooth, Seeds - round or ellipsoid