M. Thulin (2006) Plumbaginaceae. Flora of Somalia 3:25-30
Plants herbs or shrubs. Leaves alternate or in basal rosettes, simple, entire, without stipules. Inflorescences panicles, spikes or heads. Flowers bisexual, radioally symmetric, often heterostylous. Calyces tubular or funnel-shaped, often 5-ribbed, the limg membranous or scarious, often showy; corollas tubular or funnel-shaped, 5-lobed or with petals united only at the base; stamens 5, opposite the corolla lobes, inserted on the corolla tube or free;; anthers longitudinally dehiscent; ovaries superior, 1-celled, ovules 1, basal; styles 5 or 1 with 5 stigmatic lobes. Fruits more or less enclosed by the persistent calyces, 1-seeded capsules or indehiscent; seeds usually with abundant endosperm.
The family Plumbaginaceae includes about 27 genera and 700 species. It is cosmopolitan in its distribution.