in botany, a genus of the pentandria monogynia clas. The calyx is bell-shaped, and divided into three segments; the corolla is shaped like a funnel, and has five petals inserted into the base of the receptacle; the capsule is lignous, and has five cells and five valves; the seeds are imbricated on the back part, and have membranaceous edges. There is but one species, viz. the odorata, a native of America.