Herbs perennial, mostly glabrous. Roots fibrous. Leaves simple, basal ones 1--3, cauline ones 4--6, pentagonal or subpentagonal, palmately 3-sect. Flower solitary, terminal, opening nearly flat. Sepals 5, petaloid, yellow, white, or greenish white, caducous. Petals absent. Stamens numerous; filaments narrowly linear; anthers oblong. Follicles 7--60, subleathery, with lateral veins usually parallel except basally, with or without a projection on abaxial suture. Seeds 8--10, black, glossy, ca. 2 mm, obovoid, smooth. 2n = 16*.

Four species: Bhutan, China, Sikkim; four species (three endemic) in China.

(Authors: Li Liangqian; Michio Tamura)