Plants with a more or less woody trunk, sometimes treeling; roots usually orange. Inflorescence paniculate, with short or long branches, Flowers 2 or more per floral bract, white or greenish, sometimes with a reddish midrib, usually small, fragrant, opening at night; tepals spreading or recurved distally. Filaments slender or thickened. Fruit a red or ogange berry, globose, sometimes lobed, with 1-3 seeds.
Estimates of the number of species vary from 60-110, most of which grow in Africa. There are many ornamentals.
The genus is now included in Asparagaceae, a very large family as currently interpreted. It used to be included, with one other genus (Sansevieria), in the Dracaenaceae. That is where it is placed in the Flora of Somalia.