Perennial, rarely annual herbs, subshrubs or shrubs. Leaves exstipulate, basal/radical and rosulate or cauline and alternate; sessile or petiolate but petiole usually indistinct from blade; leaf blade entire, rarely pinnately lobed, somewhat sheathing at base; indumentum of simple hairs with capitate glands that may secrete water or calcium salts or multicellular gland-like structures. Flowers bracteate; bracts usually rigid, dry and scarious, bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous, pentamerous, sessile or subsessile, arranged in terminal or axillary, spicate, paniculate or sub-capitate inflorescences. Calyx gamosepalous, tubular or funnelform, 5-lobed, 5-ribbed, usually scarious, persistent, forming a dispersal unit with the fruit. Corolla gamopetalous, salver-shaped, 5-lobed or the petals almost free, imbricate. Stamens 5; filaments more or less dilated, adnate at base of petals or occasionally connate at base; anthers bithecous, dehiscence longitudinal. Ovary superior, 1-locular, ovule 1, pendulous from a long basal funicle; styles 5, free or more or less connate; stigmas 5. Fruit 1-seeded, included within and dispersing with calyx, pericarp dry, membranous, free from seed, dehiscent or indehiscent.

21 genera and about 725 species

Plumbago auriculata

Plumbago zeylanica