Herbs perennial, glabrous, with fibrous roots. Leaves all basal, or basal and cauline, simple, palmately parted or sect. Flower solitary, terminal or few in a cyme. Sepals 5 to many, usually yellow, rarely purplish, obovate, petaloid, usually caducous, rarely persistent. Petals 5 to many, linear, shortly clawed and with nectary pit above base. Stamens numerous; anthers ellipsoid or oblong, filaments narrowly linear. Follicles 5 to many, with branching transverse veins and a persistent style. Seeds subglobose, smooth.

About 30 species: temperate to cold regions of the N hemisphere; 16 species (eight endemic) in China.

(Authors: Li Liangqian; Michio Tamura)