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Herbs, sometimes with fleshy rhizomes, shrubs, or small trees. Leaves deciduous or evergreen, alternate, radical or cauline in some herbs, exstipulate or stipules reduced, simple or pinnately or ternately divided or modified into spines. Inflorescence paniculate, cymose, racemose, spicate or flowers solitary, bracteate. Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual. Perianth in 2 or 3 whorls, each of 4–6 members variously differentiated; whorls sometimes similar, rarely absent, free, caducous; outer members valvate and sepal-like; inner members imbricate and petal-like, with nectariferous scales or sacs, sometimes spurred, or nectaries absent. Stamens hypogynous, usually as many or twice as many as petals, antipetalous, free; anthers dehiscing introrsely, by lengthwise slits or valves from base upwards; filaments sometimes absent. Ovary superior; disc absent; carpel 1, unilocular; style short or absent; stigma subentire, terminal; ovules many, few or solitary, basal or on abaxial suture, anatropous. Fruit a berry. Seeds sometimes arillate; embryo small; endosperm copious.
Herbs, perennial, or shrubs, rarely small trees, evergreen or deciduous, sometimes rhizomatous or tuberous. Stems with or without spines. Leaves alternate, opposite, or basal, simple, or 1-3 × pinnately or 2-3 × ternately compound; stipules present or absent; venation pinnate or palmate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, racemes, spikes, umbels, cymes, or panicles, or flowers fascicled or solitary. Flowers pedicellate or sessile, bisexual, radially symmetric; bracteoles or bracts present or absent. Perianth usually 2-or 3-merous, rarely absent. Sepals 6-9, often petaloid, distinct, in 2 or 3 whorls. Petals 6, distinct, flat, hooded, pouched, or spurred; nectary present or absent. Stamens 6, opposite petals; anthers 2-celled, dehiscing by valves or longitudinal silts. Ovary superior, apparently 1-carpellate; ovules numerous, rarely solitary; placentation marginal or appearing basal; style present or absent, sometimes persistent in fruit as a beak. Fruit a berry, capsule, follicle, or utricle. Seeds 1 to numerous, sometimes arillate; endosperm abundant.
Shrubs or herbs, the latter often with tubers or rhizomes. Leaves alternate or radical, simple or compound; stipules absent. Flowers variously arranged in panicles, racemes, clusters or solitary, regular, hermaphrodite. Sepals and petals usually similar, in 2-several series, hypogynous, free, imbricate or the outer valvate, rarely absent. Stamens 4–9, opposite the petals, hypogynous, free; anthers 2-thecous, opening by longitudinal slits or valves. Ovary 1-locular; ovules basal or ventral, anatropous, few or sometimes numerous. Style short or absent. Fruit a berry, achene or capsule. Seeds with copious endosperm; embryo small or long
Sepals and petals similar or dissimilar, in 2 to several series, free, hypogynous, imbricate or the outer valvate, caducous, rarely absent
Stamens 4–9, opposite the petals, hypogynous, free; anthers 2-thecous, opening lengthwise or by valves
Ovary 1-locular; ovules few, ascending, or more rarely numerous; style short or absent
Seeds with copious endosperm and small or long embryo; cotyledons short
Flowers bisexual, in panicles, racemes, fascicles or solitary
Leaves alternate or radical, simple or compound
Fruit a berry, achene or capsule
Stipules usually absent
Shrubs or herbs
