Small, erect, branched, glabrous herb; stem slender, thickened at the nodes, branches umbellate; leaves radical and cauline, radiculate leaves sessile, tufted, spathulate or obovate, narrowed at base; cauline leaves sub-sessile or very shortly petioled, linear-oblong often 4-8 in a whorl; peduncles trichotomous or umbellate-cymose; pedicels long, filiform; sepals elliptic or rounded, petals absent; stamens 3-5, rarely many, free; filaments filiform or dilated; ovary ovoid or broadly ellipsoid, 3-5-celled; styles very short, ovules many, axile placentation; capsule globose or broadly ellipsoid as long as sepals; seeds not appendaged, pink or yellow, covered with slightly elevated, oblong reticulations, bluntly ridged on the back.