| leaves: | usually alternate, stipulate, usually palmately lobed or veined |
| inflorescence: | with leaves or bracts; or flowers 1-2 in leaf axils |
| flowers: | usually strong radially symmetrical, 5 sepals and 5 petals, many stamen, filaments connate into tube surrounding (but not fused to) style; petals fused to base of filaments, so even though petals are not connate, they fall as a unit; superior ovary of 5-many fused carpels, one stigma which may be branched |
| fruit: | sometimes of wedge-shaped segments. or capsule, or berry |