Annual or perennial, glabrous to subglabrous, usually succulent herbs, rarely undershrubs. Leaves opposite or alternate, simple, entire, fleshy; stipules scarious or modified into hairs, rarely absent. Inflorescence usually a terminal cyme or raceme sometimes flowers solitary. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, usually hypogynous rarely perigynous, bracteate or ebracteate. Sepals 2, rarely more (often regarded as bracteoles), free or connate at the base, anterior overlapping the posterior, imbricate, caducous. Petals 4-6, (rarely 2 or 3), free or united at the base, imbricate, entire, fugaceous or marcescent. Stamens from 3-many, antipetalous, free, rarely basally connate or epipetalous; filaments filiform, anthers dithecous, introrse, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary 2-8-carpelled, syncarpous, superior or rarely semi-inferior, free or partially adnate to the calyx, unilocular; placentation basal or free central; ovules 2-many, campylotropous or amphitrop¬ous, often with long and persistent erect funicles; styles 2-8, united, rarely free, stigmas 2-8, elongated. Fruit a membranous or crustaceous, loculicidally or circumscissilly dehiscent, (sometimes opening explosively) capsule, rarely an indehiscent nut. Seeds 2-many, compressed, globose-reniform; endosperm copious and enclosed by more or less coiled embryo.