Hermbstaedtia

Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes +/- woody at base, never scandent. Leaves alternate, scattered, linear or spatulate-oblong, entire. Inflorescences dense to elongating, bracteate, terminal spikes or rarely in heads. Flowers bisexual, white, rosy or carmine to vermilion; bracteoles 2, persistent on fruit-fall. Tepals 5, equal or slightly dissimilar. Stamens 5, glabrous; filaments fused for at least half their length, alternating pseudostaminodes either free and bifid or adnate to adjoining filaments, which are then expanded almost to the tip and rounded or toothed on each side of anther; anthers 2-thecous. Ovary ovoid, narrowed into a style; ovules 2-20, erect; style long to very short; stigmas 2 or 3(-5). Capsule included in perianth, circumscissile. Seeds black, strongly compressed-lenticular and shiny, reticulate; endosperm present.