| HABIT : Mesophytictall herb, reaching a height of 3-4 feet with fibrous root system. |
| STEM : An underground rhizome, scale leaves present; many aerial branches arise from the rhizome. |
| LEAVES : Cauline, sessile, alternate, elliptic lanceolate, acuminate, leaf base sheathing, simple, exstipulate, ligulate, lamina large, broad, entire; venation pinnately parallel. |
| INFLORESCENCE : Raceme or a panicle. |
| FLOWERS : Pedicellate or sessile, bracteate, bracteolate, complete, trimerous, zygomorphic, bisexual and hypogynous. Flowers large, bright coloured, yellow or red. Perianth consists of 6 tepals, arranged in two whorls of 3 each, outer whorl sepaloid, green, free or connate at the base; imbricate aestivation. Inner whorl is petaloid, large, connate at the base, brightly coloured with imbricate aestivation. Androecium is greatly modified, 6 stamens arranged in two whorls of 3 each. All of them are reduced to staminodes except the posterior one of the inner whorl. All the staminodes and half of the fertile stamen ispetaloid. Outer 3 stamiodes are free, imbricate whereas 1-2 staminodes of the inner whorl roll on and form the labellum. The fertile stamen has only half portion fertile which is attached to its half portion which is sterile and petaloid. Ovary inferior, tricarpellary, syncarpous, trilocular with many ovules in each locule on axile placenta. Ovary green and warted.Style single and petaloid.Stigma small, oblique. |
| FRUIT : Diplostegia, trilobed, warty. |
| SEED : Many, very hard, rounded black. |
| FLOWERING AND FRUITING TIME : Throughout the year. |
