Herbaceous, robust, upright, perennial. Glabrous culms, 1 to 2 m in height. Leaves of up to 1 m in length, glabrous, scabrous on the edge. Elongated-pyramidal panicles of up to 30 cm; individual racemes of up to 5 cm; purple spikelets, without bristles.

Herb 40-70 cm high, forming large colonies, stems thick and covered with withered leaves. Leaves alternate, sessile, densely imbricate, linear-lanceolate, 20-35 x 3-5 cm, dark green above, purple beneath and along the margins; inflorescence axillary,  umbelliform cyme enclosed by compressed spathe-like bracts, 3-4.5 cm broad and 2-3 high, petals white 5-8 mm long; capsule 3-angled 4.5 mm long.

Shrub or small tree 3-7 m high, glabrous with milky sap. Leaves spirally arranged, linear, 10-15 x 0.6-1cm, shiny on the upper side; Inflorescence terminal cymes, few-flowered; corolla tubular-campanulate, flower 7-8.5 cm long, bright yellow or pinkish-orange; fruit sickle-shape, 2 x 3 cm, yellow when ripe with a single triangular seed 2 x3 cm.

Tree of 2 to 12 m, trunks with cracked bark. Leaves ovate, acute or acuminate at the apex, deeply cordate at the base, with a nectary at the base of the main nerve, long petioles. Single axillary flowers; lanceolate bracteoles; copular calyx with entire or dentate margin; 5 petals, 4 to 7 cm, yellow, pink or cherry, red at base Penta-capsular fruit, subglobose, 3 cm in diameter. Brown seeds of 8 to 10 mm, pubescent with short trichomes.