Small shrubs; branchlets densely stellate-hairy or -lepidote. Leaves alternate, simple. Inflorescence a terminal, compact head subtended by leaf-like foliar bracts. Flowers mostly bisexual, occasionally male only, 5-merous; sepals free or united in lower half; petals pale yellow to white, free, imbricate, glabrous or sparsely lepidote; stamens 10, free, spreading, exceeding petals, filaments slender, glabrous, stellate-lepidote or pilose towards the base, anthers basifixed with small terminal gland; disc absent; ovary of 2 free carpels, stellate-scaly, style inserted below apex of ovary, often twisted, glabrous, lengthening during anthesis. Follicles basally connate, transversly ridged; seeds 1 or rarely 2 per follicle, generally reniform, released explosively with elastic endocarp.