Herbs with pinnately parallel-veined leaves; flowers perfect; calyx of 3 parts, connate; corolla of 3 parts, connate; perfect stamen 1; staminodium 1, with rarely traces of others; ovary inferior, 3-celled or rarely 1-celled; stigma 1; ovules many; fruit a capsule or berry. 47 genera & 1400 species, chiefly tropical.