Erect, glabrous, ornamental, tall, annual, herb; leaves linear to ovate-lanceolate, alternate, acute or acuminate; spikes cylindric, terminal, red or yellow, branched, forming a cockscomb; peduncle stout, hairy; flowers pink or purple, shining, sessile; bracts and bracteoles subequal, persistent scarious, shorter than tepals; tepals petaloid, 5, free, equal, slightly fleshy; stamens -5 connate below into a cup, anther 2-celled, staminodes absent; ovary 1-celled, 1-few ovuled, stigma bifid, style filiform; urticles sometimes thickened above, circumsciss; seeds erect, rounded, compressed, crustaceous.