Habit: Herbs, shrubs, woody vines, trees
Leaves: alternate, opposite, whorled, obscure, simple to deeply divided or 1-2 pinnate, estipulate
Inflorescence: cymes or solitary
Flowers: perfect, actinomorphic (rarely zygomorphic)
Sepals: 5 (4-7), distinct or connate
Stamens: 5 (2) (4-7), alternate the petals, epipetalous, anthers sometimes opening by pores
Ovary: 2 (3-5) carpels, connate, superior (rarely half inferior), 2 (3-5) locules, many-few axile ovules, or 1 locule and many parietal ovules, style 1, undivided