Perennial, small or large shrub; stem soft, semisucculent, at base woody, red-purple or semi-evergreen; leaves alternate, sometimes opposite, sessile or subsessile, oval, obovate or rounded, flat, fleshy, entire; nodal appendages hairy; terminal spikes bear numerous, flowers (not seen), small, pink in clusters of 3 or more, short pedicelled; sepals 2, short, membranous, persistent; petals 5, obovate, persistent; stamens 5 to 10; ovary half inferior, half adnate, 1-celled; ovules 2-many on basal or central column; fruit 3 winged, berry, membranous, transparent, indehiscent with a single erect seed.