Herbs with alternate (rarely opposite) leaves, acrid watery juice, separate sepals and petals, numerous stamens, and several or many (rarely only 1) simple pistils. Petals present or absent, in the latter case the sepals are usually petal-like in appearance.
Trees or shrubs, with alternate leaves, and large, frequently showy flowers.
Trees or shrubs, with alternate simple entire leaves, 3 sepals, and 6 petals.
Woody climbers, with alternate leaves, 6-8 petals, and numerous stamens.
Shrubs or herbs; petals 6 or more; stamens 6-18, frequently opening by two terminal lids; pistil 1.
Trees or shrubs, with aromatic taste or odor, and alternate simple leaves; flowers small, imperfect, the anthers opening by lids.
Herbs with milky or colored juice, regular flowers, 2 sepals, 4, 6, or 8 petals, numerous stamens, and a 1-celled ovary.
Herbs with watery juice, compound or dissected leaves, and irregular flowers; sepals 2, small; petals 4, in two pairs, and one or both of the outer pair spurred at the base; stamens 6.
Herbs, with alternate, frequently lobed or dissected leaves, and regular flowers, usually in racemes; sepals and petals each 4, stamens 6, 4 long and 2 short (or rarely 2 only), ovary 1.