Gesneriaceae is a family of flowering plants comprising more than 150 genera and 3200 species found in tropical and subtropical areas although there are some temperate representatives from Asia and Europe. Most are perennial herbs, but there are also some shrubs, small trees, annuals, epiphytes and climbers. Leaves are usually opposite, herbaceous or leathery. Many of the flowers are very showy and colorful with a 5 lobed corolla with fused petals. The fruit is a capsule with many tiny seeds. The capsules can be dry (wind dispersed) or they can be fleshy and moist (animal dispersed). Most species are rhizomatous, others tuberous, and others described as having fibrous roots (but no storage structures). The geophytic species that make scaly rhizomes or tubers come from Mexico, Central and South America, such as those listed below.
Genera with wiki pages are Achimenes, Amalophyllon, Chautemsia, Chrysothemis, Diastema, Eucodonia, Gloxinia, Gloxinella, Goyazia?, Kohleria, Mandirola, Niphaea, Phinaea?, Seemannia, Sinningia, Smithiantha, Sphaerorrhiza?.
More information on this family and its members can be found on the Gesneriad Reference Web