Succulent, glabrous herb, leaves opposite, decussate, lower usually simple, elliptic-oblong, thick, glabrous, obtuse, crenate or subincised crenate, long petioled; flowers in large, pendent, spreading panicles, pale green with reddish purple tinge; calyx with long, inflated tube, lobes 4- fid, triangular, valvate, shorter than tube; corolla tubular, 4-lobed, triangular, green with reddish tinge, swollen at base, constricted in middle, twice as long as calyx lobes; stamens 8 in 2 series, inserted on the middle of corolla tube, filaments green at the base, pinkish near the anthers; hypogynous scales-4, obtuse; carpels-4, free or connate, attenuated into long styles, ovules many; fruit follicle, 4, enclosed in the persistent, papery calyx; seeds small, oblong, smooth or longitudinally striate.