Codon is a small genus of plants from South Africa in the family Codonaceae in the order Boraginales. The genus Codon comprises two species. Codon was placed in the Hydrophyllaceae and Boraginaceae. Recent phyllogenetic analysis place it as sister group to the Wellstediaceae and Boraginaceae s.str. The species of the genus Codon are annual to perennial herbs. The whole plants are densely covered with strong mineralised, unicellular trichomes on cystolithic foot-cells. The plants are growing from strong taproots. The fruit is an apical-loculicidal capsule. Seeds are reticulately sculptured.