Habit: Herbs, shrubs, or woody vines (mostly herbaceous), estipulate.
Leaves: Alternate, opposite or whorled, simple or compound
Synoecious (rarely dioecious)
Inflorescences: everything--solitary, cyme, raceme, panicle, etc.
Flowers: perfect or imperfect, actinomorphic or zygomorphic
Sepals: 4-many, distinct, often petaloid
Petals: 0 or 4-5, sometimes many, distinct
Stamens: many (rarely 5-10), distinct, spiralled
Ovary: carpels 5-many (rarely 1), distinct (rarely 5, connate), ovary superior with 1 locule and 1-many basal or marginal ovules, styles 1 per carpel, distinct
Fruit: cluster or achenes or follicles, rarely a berry or capsule