Description from Flora of China Herbs perennial, often with
tuberous rhizomes. Leaves several, basal, sessile or petiolate;
leaf blade usually lanceolate, plicate, leathery or papery.
Flowering stems axillary, erect or apically bent downward, long
or short. Inflorescences racemose, spicate, or subcapitate.
Flowers bisexual or unisexual. Perianth often yellow; segments
spreading, subequal, sometimes basally connate into a tube.
Stamens inserted at base of perianth segments; anther nearly
basifixed or dorsifixed; filament very short, sometimes
subequaling anther. Ovary usually hairy; ovules 2 to many. Style
columnar, slender; stigma 3-lobed. Fruit a berry, indehiscent,
apex sometimes beaked; beak (when present) formed by persistent
perianth tube. Seeds small, often striped; hilum conspicuous. Wu
Zhengyi (editor’s note) believes that species nos. 1--4 would be
better treated in the genus Molineria which has recently been
treated as separate from Curculugo, e.g., by Nordal (in
Kubitzki, Fam. Gen. Vasc. Pl. 3: 294