Annual or perennial herbs, glabrous or ± pubescent with simple unicel¬lular upcurved hairs. Leaves usually alternate, exstipulate. Racemes terminal or lateral. Sepals 5, usually persistent. Petals 3, ± united below. Stamens usually 8, ± united into a staminal sheath and adnate to the petals. Ovary 2-locular, ovule one in each loculus. Capsule 2-seeded, loculicidal, compressed. Seeds ± pilose, strophiole usually 3-lobed.