Alternative names: Not Applicable

Description:
Annual or biennial herbs often with quadrangular stems; leaves opposite, decussate, entire, exstipulate.

Inflorescence a thyrse often varying even within the species from few to many dichasia and in the number of flowers, or rarely ending in monochasia; flowers regular, bisexual, 4-9-merous; calyx persistent; corolla tubular with the filaments of the stamens alternating with the petals and more or less fused to it; ovary superior, 1-celled with 2 parietal placentas, or 2-celled with 2 placentas, with numerous ovules on the often swollen placentas; style usually present, often deciduous, usually with 2 stigmas, each rarely 2-fid.

Fruit a septicidal capsule often dehiscing incompletely.

Distribution:  Cosmopolitan; with 80 genera and about 900 species.

Biology: No text

Key to Genera:

1. Flowers 6-9-merous	BLACKSTONIA 1.
1. Flowers 4- or 5-merous
2. Sepals fused to about one-third or more than half of their length	CICENDIA 3.
2. Sepals fused up to one-third of their length. 3. Basal leaves petiolate; corolla tube cup-shaped to an open bell-shape	GENTIANELLA 4.
3. Basal leaves sessile but usually slightly cuneate at the base; corolla tube narrow-cylindrical
4. Dehisced anthers spirally twisted; corolla pink, mauve or if yellow then with pedicels 3-8 mm long	CENTAURIUM 2.
4. Dehisced anthers straight or irregularly shrivelling; corolla yellow	SEBAEA 5.

Author: Prepared by H. R. Toelken