Herbs monocarpic. Stem 1, remaining short until flowering. Pseudostem composed of clasping leaf sheaths, tall, base swollen to strongly so and jarlike. Leaves large, base often narrowed into a petiole; leaf sheath lax; leaf blade oblong. Inflorescence rosulate when young, becoming elongate and pendulous with age. Bracts green, usually persistent. Flowers in 2 rows per bract; flowers in proximal bracts female (with reduced stamens) or bisexual; flowers in distal bracts male (with reduced gynoecium). Compound tepal linear, apex often 3-lobed, without 2 accessory teeth between lobes; free tepal usually wider than compound one, apex often 3-cuspidate or entire. Stamens 5. Berries leathery, dry or with very scanty pulp. Seeds few, globose or irregular, often more than (0.5--)1 cm in diam., usually smooth; hilum conspicuous, irregular, usually deeply sunken.

Ten species: mainly in Africa, extending to S and SE Asia; two species (one endemic) in China.