Fls perfect, regular to irregular, solitary or in bracted racemes; sepals 5, imbricate; petals 5, lowermost often spurred; stamens 5 hypog. to perig., connivent around pistil; anthers 2-celled, introrse, one often spurred. Ovary superior, unilocular; carpels 3-5, with parietal placentae; ovules solitary to ∞.Fr. a loculicidal capsule or baccate; seed with straight embryo; endosperm plentiful. Trees, shrubs, or herbs with simple stipulate, mostly alt., lvs. About 16 widespread genera and 900 spp.

Herbs, shrubs or trees. Lvs usually alternate, simple, stipulate. Fls solitary, axillary or in racemes or fascicles, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, hypogynous, ☿ or unisexual. Sepals 5, free, sometimes with basal appendages. Petals 5, free, equal or unequal, the lowest sometimes spurred. Stamens 5, united at base into a ring; anthers introrse; connective often projecting as an appendage. Ovary of 3-(5) fused carpels, 1-celled; placentation parietal. Style and stigma simple or lobed. Fr. a capsule dehiscing by 3-(5) valves, or an indehiscent berry. Seeds usually smooth; embryo straight; endosperm fleshy.