Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs, erect or sprawling, rarely twining, beset in nearly all parts with scabrous, stinging hairs. Leaves alternate or opposite, variously incised and lobed. Inflorescence cymose, terminal or lateral, occasionally reduced to a solitary flower. Flowers mediocre to large, usually 5-merous, rarely 6-to 7-merous; sepals foliaceous, open in aestivation; petals valvate or imbricate, somewhat clawed; stamens numerous, in antepetalous clusters, the filaments elon-gate, united at the base; staminodia united into conspicuous more or less saccate antesepalous petaloid scales; ovary inferior, i-celled, with usually numerous ovules borne upon 3-5 parietal placentas, the style usually shortly columnar, the stigma obscurely divided. Fruit a 3-to 5-valved capsule.
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