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Herbs, annual to perennial, or large shrubs, sometimes Ericoid (Limoselleae), rarely small trees. Indumentum absent, simple (most common), branched or stellate (Leucophylleae, Myoporeae), sometimes with sessile glands. Leaves alternate, opposite or whorled, or clustered, simple; stipules absent; lamina sometimes isobifacial and dorsiventrally flattened with pellucid gland dots (Myoporeae). Inflorescence a raceme or spike with flowers in bract axils, or solitary, or in cymes; bracts leaf-like or reduced or absent. Flowers weakly to strongly zygomophic or actinomorphic (sometimes resupinate), bisexual, 4-or 5-merous. Sepals fused or free, often persisting in fruit. Corolla lobes at least partly fused into a tube, often 2-lipped. Stamens 4(5); staminodes sometimes present (well-developed in Scrophularieae); anthers 2-locular, opening by longitudinal slits. Nectary small or absent. Stigma capitate to weakly bilobed, dry or wet. Ovary superior, 2–4-locular. Ovules 1–many per carpel. Fruit a capsule, berry (Buddlejeae), drupe or schizocarp (Limoselleae, Myoporeae). Seeds 2–many, to 3 mm long, winged or not; endosperm moderate.
Corolla tubular, campanulate, cylindric or ventricose or enlarged above; tube straight or variously curved to geniculate, at times basally produced into 1 or 2 spurs or sacs; limb usually 5-or 4-lobed, rarely 3–8-lobed, lobes subequal, more or less spreading, or clearly bilabiate with upper lip entire, emarginate or bilobed, erect, concave or galeate or at times flat or spreading, lower lip 3-(rarely 4-) lobed, spreading
Calyx inferior, persistent, usually 5-lobed, occasionally 4-, or rarely 3-lobed, usually more or less united, campanulate, tubular, or shortly so almost lacking distinct tube, equal, unequal, valvate, variously overlapping or open in bud
Stamens often 4 or 2, rarely 5, inserted on the corolla and alternate with the lobes, sometimes the fifth stamen represented by a staminode; filaments free from each other; anthers 1-2-celled, opening lengthwise
Annual or perennial, terrestrial, amphibious or aquatic herbs, or leafless parasitic herbs lacking chlorophyll, shrubs or undershrubs, rarely trees, glabrous, variously pubescent or glandular-viscid
Anthers 1-orbilocular, free or frequently coherent, cells similar or with one smaller and sterile, connective often produced into 2 branches, each bearing cell
Ovary superior, sessile, entire, 2-, or rarely 3-celled, placentation central; style simple, entire or shortly cleft at apex; stigma small, capitate or clavate
Stamens 4, didynamous or equal, or 2 with occasionally 2 reduced to staminodes, or 5 with fifth subrudimentary, rarely perfect
Leaves opposite, alternate orverticillate, entire, toothed or variously lobed or dissected, or reduced to scales, estipulate
Filaments inserted in corolla tube or at throat, filiform or dilated, occasionally with lower variously appendaged at base
Fruit usually capsular, septicidal or loculicidal, sometimes both, occasionally dehiscing by pores, rarely indehiscent
Flowers solitary axillary or in terminal spikes, racemes, heads or panicles, arranged in racemes or cymes
Seeds small, numerous, variously shaped, pitted, ridged or ribbed, rarely smooth
Flowers hermaphrodite, usually irregular, at times subregular
Leaves alternate, opposite or verticillate; stipules absent
Ovary superior, entire, usually 2-celled; style terminal
Flowers hermaphrodite, mostly zygomorphic
Pedicels ebracteolate or bibracteolate
Seeds numerous, with fleshy endosperm
Ovules many to numerous in each cell
Herbs or shrubs, rarely small trees
Ovules numerous on axile placentas
Calyx imbricate or valvate
Fruit a capsule or berry
Corolla-lobes imbricate
