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Annual or perennial herbs. Stems approximately erect, branched. Leaves opposite (often with the false appearance of being in whorls), obovate to narrowly oblanceolate, entire, with scarious stipules. Flowers several to numerous, in rather compact to loose cymes. Sepals 9–12, spirally arranged, imbricate. Petals 5–8, hyaline-membranaceous, much shorter than the sepals. Fertile stamens 5–8, alternating with the petals. Ovary with numerous ovules; style simple below with 5 stigmatic arms. Capsule 5-valved, with numerous seeds.