Alternative names: Not Applicable

Description:
Perennial, rarely annual or biennial herbs, sometimes becoming slightly woody at the base, rarely woody shrubs; leaves alternate or opposite often becoming alternate on or near the inflorescence, exstipulate.

Inflorescence usually a panicle with racemose or spike-like branches each with few to many flowers in the axils of usually leaf-like bracts; flowers regular to slightly irregular, bisexual, 4- or 5-merous, with a deciduous floral tube between the inferior ovary and the free floral parts; sepals valvate; petals truncate to emarginate; stamens twice as many as petals; anthers dorsi- to basifixed; ovary inferior, terminating in a style free from the surrounding floral tube, with 4 or 5 locules each usually with many ovules on an axile placenta.

Fruit usually a loculicidal capsule, rarely indehiscent.

Distribution:  21 genera and about 640 species widespread from temperate to tropical regions.

Biology: No text

Key to Genera:

1. Woody shrubs; flowers pendulous; fruit a berry	FUCHSIA 2.
1. Herbs rarely with a slightly woody base; flowers erect or spreading; fruit a capsule or dry and indehiscent
2. Seeds each with a tuff of hairs; fruit 2-3 mm broad; leaves usually opposite below the inflorescence	EPILOBIUM 1.
2. Seeds without hairs; fruit 4-6 mm broad or if narrower then winged; leaves usually alternate
3. Flowers 5-merous, on pedicels with a pair of deciduous bracteoles; leaves entire	LUDWIGIA 4.
3. Flowers 4-merous and without pedicels and bracteoles; most leaves serrate to pinnatisect
4. Inflorescence with scale-like bracts; floral tube up to 0.6 cm long	GAURA 3.
4. Inflorescence with leaf-like bracts; floral tube 1-11 cm long	OENOTHERA 5.

Author: Prepared by H. R. Toelken