Subshrubs, [shrubs], prostrate to erect; taprooted. Stems hairy, hairs usually stellate, sometimes intermixed with capitate-glandular and subsessile glandular hairs. Leaves petiolate; stipules deciduous, foliaceous, narrowly dimidiate-lanceolate or narrowly dimidiate-ovate, triangular, margins simple-bristled; blade usually unlobed, rarely lobed, margins dentate or staminodes 0; filaments ligulate, very compressed, adnate to petal base and gynophore or ovary base, distally free, incurved, not abruptly dilated, expanded region narrowly oblong from base to above anther base, apex acuminate or acute, glabrous; anthers 2-thecate, lanceolate, [1–]2–3.5[–10] mm, inflexed, connivent to style, longitudinally dehiscent; thecae with rim ciliate from simple hairs, apex acuminate, slightly twisted, gland at apex only (H. texana) or also at theca base (H. pauciflora); gynoecium syncarpous, 5-carpellate, stipitate, 5-angled, locules opposite sepals; ovary 5-locular; ovules 4–14 per locule, ascending or horizontal, anatropous or amphitropous; styles persistent, 5, shortly exserted, presumably connate at anthesis (connate, distinct, or partially distinct dried), filiform; stigmas inconspicuous, terete and 1-dentate (acute) or filiform and often few-minutely papillate at apex, rarely truncate, inconspicuous. Fruits capsules, 5-locular, in apical view 5-angled, 5-lobed, parted between angles, in lateral view emarginate at apex, margins curved, stipitate, valve margins dark-rimmed, dentate, teeth terminated by hairy tubercles not elsewhere on fruit (H. pauciflora) or hairy processes (H. texana), denser on valves, stellate-pubescent. Seeds 0–8 per locule, brown, crescentiform-reniform, chalazal end wider, other end acute, large-pitted; elaiosome conspicuous, white; endosperm present; embryo curved, chlorophyllous; cotyledons flat, narrowly elliptic or oblong-elliptic. x = 6.
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Stamens 5, opposite the petals; filaments free or connate at the base, subulate, obovate and with membranous wings, or cruciform-tuberculate at the middle; anthers linear with attenuate-acuminate apices, usually pubescent or ciliolate.
Seeds fairly numerous, with endosperm, subreniform; testa brown or black, smooth, granulate or minutely tubercular, sometimes with a few widely spaced wrinkles.
Flowers bisexual, yellow, reddish, purplish or white, 1-several on axillary peduncles; peduncle usually bracteate.
Leaves subentire, dentate or incised; stipules foliaceous or minute or rarely absent, entire or variously divided.
Petals 5, narrowed to the base with margins often inrolled in the lower half, glabrous or variously pubescent.
Ovary sessile or shortly stipitate, 5-locular, loculi 3-oo ovulate; styles 5, slender, more or less united.
Herbs or small shrubs, usually stellately hairy, sometimes also with simple or glandular hairs.
Capsule dehiscent, with 5 valves, apex rounded or with short horn-like appendages.
Calyx campanulate or globose, 5-lobed.
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