Herbs, erect, creeping or climbing. Leaves opposite, sometimes cordate or hastate at base. Flowers axillary. Bracts 2, large, elliptic or ovate, enveloping the small calyx. Calyx usually of 10-18 linear teeth, rarely a small saucer-shaped body. Stamens 4, didynamous, 2-thecous; anthers opening by longitudinal slits. Retinacula 0. Ovary 2-locular, with 2 ovules in each loculus. Fruit a spherical beaked capsule. Distinguished by the large bracts, the calyx with its numerous lobes, the method of anther dehiscence and the beaked fruit. Derivation of name: Named after Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828) Comment: See Pseudocalyx for the differences with that genus. Worldwide: 90 species in the Old World tropics Mozambique: 13 taxa. Insects associated with this genus:
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| Species | FZ divisions | Content |
| alata Bojer ex Sims | Z,T,MS,GI,M | Description, Image |
| crispa Burkill | N,T,MS | Description, Image |
| dregeana Nees | GI,M | Description, Image |
| gregorii S. Moore | ||
| kirkiana T. Anderson | N,T | |
| kirkii Hook. f. | Z | |
| lancifolia T. Anderson | N,Z,T,MS | Description, Image |
| oblongifolia Oliv. | Description, Image | |
| petersiana Lindau | N,Z,MS | Description, Image |
| schimbensis S. Moore | N,Z,T,MS | Description, Image |
| stelligera Lindau | Z,MS | Description, Image |
| subalata Lindau | N | |
| usambarica Lindau | N,T,MS | Description, Image |