Schwenckia L.

Erect, ascending or sprawling usually herbaceous plants. Leaves alternate, or in clusters, petiolate or sessile, entire. Inflorescence cymes few–many-flowered, terminal, usually laxly paniculiform, occasionally reduced to one flower; pedicels slender. Flowers somewhat zygomorphic; calyx shorter than the corolla tube, tubular or campanulate, 4(5)-lobed, lobes subequal, short, claviform; corolla tubular or sometimes saccate, violet to reddish, yellowish or white, tube elongate, limb small, plicate, oblique, 5-lobed or -dentate, occasionally 2-lipped, lobes overlapping in bud. Fruit capsular, ± globose or ovoid, apiculate, dry, smooth or rugulose, 2-valved, septicidally dehiscent. Seeds several to numerous, minute, sometimes flattened on one side.

Worldwide: A genus with 22 species from Central America and the Antilles southwards to NE Argentina, one species also widespread in Africa.

Caprivi: 1 cultivated taxon.