Undershrubs, shrubs or small trees, the pubescence of stellate hairs. Leaves alternate, simple, petiolate, stipulate, the stipules caducous, the blade serrate, 3-to 7-nerved at the base. Inflorescences axillary or oppositifolious, fasciculate or flowers solitary. Flowers hermaphrodite, actinomorphous or zygomorphous, pedicellate, bracteolate; calyx gamosepalous, tubiform, either erect, regular and (4-)5-lobate, or horizontal, bilabiate and (2-4-)5-divided, the inner base glandular, deciduous; petals 5, contorted, long-unguiculate, the claws often appendiculate above the base, equal or not; gonophore well developed, longer than the calyx; stamens 6, 8, 10 or numerous, the filaments by pairs, the anthers 2-thecate, the thecae diver-gent or sometimes confluent, extrorse, longitudinally dehiscent; staminodes alter-nating with the pairs of stamens; ovary sessile, straight or spirally twisted, 5-celled, the cells many-ovulate; styles 5, free or coherent, filiform; stigmas acute or slightly capitate. Fruit borne on the accrescent gonophore, capsular, ligneous, straight or spirally twisted, the carpels separating at maturity by the rupture of the walls in the vicinity of the placenta (follicles); seeds numerous, small and angular; albumen scant; embryo straight; cotyledons foliaceous, folded.
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Trees or shrubs. Branches or branchlets ± stellate. Leaves simple, entire or serrate. Flowers bisexual, solitary or cymose, axillary or rarely terminate. Epicalyx lobes minute. Calyx tube-shaped, 5-lobed, lobes usually unequal and 2-lipped. Petals 5, equal to each other or 2-lipped, clawed and usually with auriculate appendage. Anthers 10, on top of elongate androgynophore; filaments ± connate, enclosing pistil; staminodes 5, within stamens. Ovary 5-celled, 5-angular; ovules numerous in each locule; styles 5, linear, apically slightly swollen. Mature capsule straight or spirally twisted, usually densely hairy, often with soft setae which are themselves hairy. Seeds verrucose.
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