Herbs, trees and shrubs, sometimes tuberous. Leaves opposite, without stipules. Inflorescence variable. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, actinomorphic, with a pedicel; sometimes each flower with an involucre. Corolla with the basal part persistent and enclosing the receptacle, often accrescent and forming an anthocarp, with the apical part usually circumscissile and caducous. Stamens 1–40, connate at base. Style 1, terminal. Fruit an indehiscent anthocarp.

Contains 30 genera and some 290 species, mostly tropical and especially American.

Mirabilis L.

Perennial herbs with root tubers. Leaves opposite. Inflorescence a terminal corymb, 1- to many-flowered; each flower with a persistent, accrescent involucre divided halfway into 5 lobes. Flowers bisexual, trumpet-shaped; the large tube with a constriction above the basal part and the lower part of the tube ribbed or with knobs, the upper part and the limb circumscissile and caducous after anthesis. Stamens 3–6, unequal, distinctly exserted. Style 1, distinctly exserted. Ovary sessile. Fruit an anthocarp formed by the basal part of the corolla being persistent and enclosing the receptacle and often accrescent.

Contains about 60 species in the Americas.