Greek kallos – beautiful, referring to the beauty of the type species.

Perennial herbs. Leaves with more or less succulent. Flowers radially symmetrical, stalked or sessile. Cymes paired, without conspicuous bracts, sessile in the axils of reduced upper leaves or in stalked compound cymes. Sepals 3 (2) translucent. Petals 3 (2), white or pink. Stamens usually 6, filaments usually hairless. Fruit a dehiscent capsule.

Grown, often in hanging baskets, for the attractive leaves.

Stalkless clustered flowers lacking obvious sheathing bracts

31 species mostly from Mexico, 1 throughout tropical America.

Hunt (1986).

Source: Conran, J. (2005). Commelinaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.