Herbs perennial, erect. Rhizomes present. Stem scapoid, unbranched or few branched, with few leaves or leafless. Leaves basal or basal and cauline, pedately compound, 3--13-foliolate, rarely simple; central leaflet entire. Inflorescences cymose, terminal or axillary, 1--8-flowered; bracts usually 3-lobed. Flowers radially symmetric, bisexual, sometimes cleistogamous. Sepals 5, petaloid, usually white, seldom yellowish or pinkish. Petals 5, golden-yellow, much smaller than sepals, clawed. Stamens 5--25; filaments narrowly linear, 1-veined; anthers yellow. Pistils 2, connate at base; ovary narrowly oblong, many ovuled; styles persistent. Follicles 2, divaricate, apically beaked. Seeds nitid, sometimes somewhat rugose or rough.

About 15 species: China, N India, Japan, N Myanmar, Nepal; 11 species (endemic) in China.

(Authors: Fu Dezhi; Orbélia R. Robinson)