Herbs, not rhizomatous, not stoloniferous; base of slender caudex bearing bulbils. Flowering stems erect, leafy, 8-40 cm, stipitate-glandular. Leaves in basal rosette and cauline; cauline leaves reduced distally; stipules of basal leaves inconspicuous, stipules of cauline leaves conspicuous; petiole sparsely to moderately stipitate-glandular; blade reniform to orbiculate, usually 3-9-lobed, base cordate to truncate, ultimate margins irregularly crenate, ciliate, apex obtuse to rounded, surfaces glabrous or sparsely stipitate-glandular; venation palmate. Inflorescences flat-topped panicles of simple or compound cymes, terminal from terminal bud in rosette, 2-35-flowered, bracteate or ebracteate. Flowers: hypanthium adnate to ovary in proximal 7/8, free from ovary 0.3-1 mm, greenish (with purple band distally in S. ranunculifolia); sepals 5, greenish (with purple margins in S. violacea); petals 5, white or pink, purple, or violet; nectary tissue partially covering ovary (in S. ranunculifolia) or absent (in S. violacea); stamens 5; filaments filiform; ovary 1/2-3/4 inferior, 2-locular, carpels connate proximally; placentation axile; styles absent or 2; stigmas 2. Capsules 2(-3)-beaked. Seeds (50-75), dark brown, ellipsoid and prismatic (or angular), warty. x = 7.
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