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Annual or perennial herbs, shrubs or small trees. Leaves spirally arranged, rarely opposite or verticillate, simple, entire or toothed, rarely dissected; stipules present, small or foliaceous, the margin often ciliate or laciniate. Flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic, solitary or in a simple or compound inflorescence, often thyrsoid, terminal or axillary, usually hermaphrodite, sometimes unisexual on separate plants. Sepals 5, free or united near the base, usually persistent. Petals 5, free, equal or unequal, the anterior one (lowermost in flower) sometimes spurred, imbricate, generally deciduous. Stamens 5, antisepalous, the lower pair (anterior) in zygomorphic flowers each with an appendage which projects into the spur and which secretes nectar; filaments free or united wholly or partly into a ring around the ovary; anthers introrse, usually with a prominent connective appendage, sometimes with thecal appendages also. Ovary sessile, ± ovoid, 1-locular, with (2–)3, 4 or 5 parietal placentas; style solitary, often thickened towards the stigma, which is generally undivided. Fruit a loculicidal capsule, generally splitting into 3 wide-spreading contractile valves, rarely a nut or berry. Seeds generally with ample endosperm, occasionally arillate
Herbs annual or perennial, shrubs, or subshrubs, sometimes scandent, rarely small trees. Leaves simple, usually alternate, sometimes opposite, with small or leaflike stipules, petiolate, margin entire, serrate, or dissected. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, rarely polygamous, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, solitary or in axillary or terminal, spicate, paniculate, or racemose inflorescences, 2-bracteolate, sometimes cleistogamous. Sepals 5, equal or unequal, imbricate, persistent. Petals 5, imbricate or convolute, unequal, anterior one usually larger than others, saccate, gibbous or spurred at base. Stamens 5; anthers erect, free or connivent or connate, connectives often dilated into membranous appendages; filaments very short or absent, anterior 2 stamens with spurlike nectary at base. Ovary superior, 1-loculed, 3-5-carpelled, syncarpous, with 3-5 parietal placentae each with 1 to many anatropous ovules; style simple; stigmas variously shaped. Fruit a loculicidal capsule, usually with elastic and abaxially carinate valves, rarely baccate. Seeds often carunculate; testa hard, nitid, often with oily bodies, sometimes alate; endosperm copious, fleshy; embryo erect.
Herbs or shrubs, sometimes trees or climbers. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, simple, usually stipulate. Flowers strongly or weakly zygomorphic, bisexual (sometimes unisexual in Melicytus and Rinorea), often cleistogamous, solitary, or in cymose or racemose inflorescences. Sepals 5, imbricate, persistent. Petals 5, free, unequal or sometimes almost equal, imbricate, the lowermost often the largest and usually spurred. Stamens 5, hypogynous, alternate with petals; filaments very short; anthers free or connivent around ovary, introrse, bilocular, opening by longitudinal slits, the connective usually produced into an appendage. Ovary superior, 1-locular; placentas usually 3, parietal; ovules 1 to several per placenta, anatropous; style simple; stigma terminal. Fruit a capsule or berry. Seeds with endosperm, often arillate; embryo straight.
Stamens 5, antisepalous, similar or ± dissimilar, the anterior pair in zygomorphic flowers with appendages which project into the spur, filaments free ± united, often forming a cylinder round the ovary; anthers usually introrse, free ± united, usually with a prolongation of the connective
Ovary free, sessile, usually ± ovoid, 1-locular, with (2) 3 (4–5) parietal placentas each bearing 1–? ovules; styles completely united, usually thickened above, often ± S-shaped in zygomorphic flowers, stigma usually undivided
Stamens hypogynous, 5, alternate with the petals; anthers 2-celled, opening lengthwise, with the connective produced beyond the cells
Petals 5, free, equal or ± unequal, the anterior one frequently ± spurred, imbricate, usually deciduous, alternating with the sepals
Leaves alternate (rarely opposite or whorled), simple, entire or serrate to dentate (rarely ± dissected), usually with 2 stipules
Ovary superior, sessile, 1-celled, with usually 3 parietal placentas each with one or more ovules; style usually simple
Flowers actinomorphic or, more often, ± zygomorphic, bisexual (rarely polygamous or dioecious)
Fruit a loculicidal capsule usually with contractile carinate valves, rarely a berry or nut
Sepals 5, free or shortly united, quincuncial or open in bud, usually persistent
Petals 5, nearly equal or the lower larger and often clawed, imbricate
Seeds sometimes with a small aril, usually with abundant endosperm
Flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic, from solitary to paniculate
Seeds with fleshy endosperm and central mostly straight embryo
Fruit an elastic loculicidal capsule, one-or more-seeded
Shrubs or perennial or annual herbs (more rarely trees)
Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, stipulate
Herbs, shrubs, or small trees
Sepals 5, imbricate
