In many species, the flowers are surrounded by large, colourful bracts, giving rise to their common names.

The leaves are usually arranged in opposite pairs and are simple, small, needle-like to oval and contain essential oils.

The flowers are arranged near the ends of the branches and are usually surrounded by leaf-like green bracts and larger, usually coloured bracteoles.

Sixty of the roughly 70 species occur in Western Australia and 11 grow naturally in New South Wales.

[3][10] Land clearing and grazing practices have reduced the areas where Darwinia species grow naturally.

Recovery is hindered by drought, changed fire regimes and susceptibility of some species, especially Gillam's Bell (Darwinia oxylepis) to infection by the oomycete, Phytophthora cinnamomi.