Herbs, without stinging hairs. Stems ascending. Leaves alternate or opposite; stipules persistent, lateral, free; leaf blade ovate, 3-veined or triplinerved, margin serrate; cystoliths punctate. Inflorescences axillary, androgynous (plants monoecious), sessile, glomerules crowded on broad, campanulate, dentate involucre. Male flowers numerous on margin of the involucre; perianth lobe 1, often split and unequally 3-lobed or 3-toothed; stamen 1; rudimentary ovary absent. Female flowers 1 or 2, in center of involucre; perianth absent; staminodes absent. Ovary straight; stigma filiform, papillose-hispid, almost persistent; ovule orthotropous. Achene compressed ovoid, woolly or glabrous, enclosed by involucre. Seeds with endosperm; cotyledons elliptic.

Seven species: mostly in Africa, one species in subtropical and tropical regions of NE Africa and Asia; one species in China.

(Authors: Chen Jiarui (陈家瑞 Chen Chia-jui); Ib Friis, C. Melanie Wilmot-Dear)