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Erect ascending or prostrate herbs. Leaves cauline, opposite, spiral, alternate, or whorled (sometimes various in one specimen), often glandular-punctate, margin entire or not. Flowers in terminal or subterminal racemes, or solitary axillary. Calyx deeply 5-fid. Corolla contorted in bud, 5-cleft, yellow or white (sometimes with purple background). Stamens sometimes largely connate with the corolla lobes; anthers basifixed or versatile, opening with an apical pore or with lateral slits. Ovary globose, style-tip as high as the anthers. Capsule about as high as the calyx, 5-valved or irregularly bursting. Seeds numerous, testa crustaceous.
Perennial, heterostylous herbs or occasionally subshrubs, usually erect, sometimes prostrate. Lvs mostly opposite or whorled, entire. Fls 5-(7)-merous, in axillary or terminal racemes or panicles, or solitary and axillary; pedicels of varying lengths. Calyx divided almost or completely to base; lobe width very variable. Corolla rotate or campanulate; tube very short. Stamens inserted on corolla tube, sometimes unequal, sometimes partly monadelphous; filaments often scaly. Capsule globose or ovoid, 5-(7)-valved. Seeds few to many, rugose.
Fls 5(6)-merous in our spp.; cal spreading, parted nearly or quite to the base; cor-tube very short, the limb broadly campanulate to rotate; stamens 5(6), distinct or monadelphous, sometimes alternating with small staminodes; perennial herbs with opposite or whorled, or rarely alternate lvs and yellow or rarely white fls, often marked with dots or lines, in axillary or terminal racemes or panicles or solitary in the axils. (Steironema, Naumburgia) 150, cosmop. Our first 6 species are self-incompatible and produce frequent hybrids.
