[3][6] Poranthera consists of monoecious or rarely, dioecious annual or perennial herbs.

On the anthers, the line of dehiscence does not extend beyond the apex.

It does not have the clearly round pores that define truly poricidal dehiscence.

[5] Poranthera alpina has been placed in the monospecific genus Oreoporanthera by some authors, but in 2007, a molecular phylogenetic analysis of matK and ITS sequences showed this species to be embedded in Poranthera.

Species names coined using Rafinesque's homonym:[9][10]