Herbs, lactiferous, perennial (often with rhizomes or caudices), less often annual, [or shrubs or trees outside of China]. Leaves estipulate, alternate (rarely opposite or whorled), simple, entire or variously toothed or dissected, petiolate or sessile. Flowers tetracyclic, perfect, with a specialized method of proterandrous secondary pollen presentation, resupinate in Lobelioideae, solitary in an axillary or less often terminal position, or aggregated into terminal or axillary inflorescences that appear racemose or paniculate (rarely capitate), pedicellate or rarely sessile; bracts leaflike or reduced, rarely absent; pedicels often bracteolate. Calyx synsepalous, adnate to ovary and forming a hypanthium (free in Cyananthus); lobes (3-)5(-10), valvate, sometimes with a reflexed appendage in each sinus, in some Codonopsis, inserted well below rim of hypanthium. Corolla sympetalous, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, most often some shade of blue or violet, or white; lobes (4 or)5(-10), valvate. Stamens equaling number of corolla lobes, antisepalous, distinct, coherent, or connate; anthers tetrasporangiate, dithecal, introrsely dehiscent by longitudinal slits, basifixed. Gynoecium syncarpous, 2-5(-10)-locular with axile placentation, [rarely 1-locular with parietal, basal, or apical placentation outside of China]; ovary at least partly inferior (superior in Cyananthus), sometimes crowned by an annular or tubular nectary; style solitary, pubescent with pollen-collecting hairs below apex; stigma typically with as many lobes as ovary locules. Fruit a capsule, commonly apically loculicidal or laterally poricidal, or a berry. Seeds usually small, numerous; embryo small, straight; endosperm copious, oily or rarely starchy.

Source: [
• 4
]. 

Fruit capsular or baccate

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Ovules mostly numerous

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Ovary inferior or rarely superior, 2-10-celled, with axile placentas

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Stamens as many as the corolla-lobes and alternate with them, inserted towards the base of the corolla or the disk; anthers free, 2-celled, opening lengthwise

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Corolla gamopetalous, tubular or campanulate, lobes valvate

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Calyx-tube adnate to the ovary, 3-10-lobed

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Flowers hermaphrodite, actinomorphic

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, simple; stipules absent

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Herbs to small trees, nearly always with milky juice

Source: [
• 1
]. 

Calyx –{_ adnate to the ovary; lobes usually free, persistent, valvate in bud

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Flowers hermaphrodite, usually protandrous, regular, (3–) 5(–10)–merous, mostly with a bract and 2 bracteoles

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Stamens alternating with the corolla–lobes, free or rarely adnate to the corolla; anthers very rarely entirely or partly connate, introrse; filaments usually dilated at the base

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Petals connate to various degrees, sometimes almost free, valvate in bud

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Annual or perennial herbs, subshrubs, or rarely small shrubs, laticiferous

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Inflorescences generally cymose, panicle–, raceme–, spike– or head–like, or flowers solitary

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, simple, entire, dentate to incised or rarely variously lobed, exstipulate

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Fruit capsular, variously dehiscing by apical or lateral valves or pores, or 4; baccate

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Seeds 1–many, albuminous; embryo straight, terete

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Ovary ± inferior, rarely superior, 2–10–locular; ovules few–many, anatropous, on axile placentas; style 1, furnished with pollen–collecting hairs on and usually below the style–lobes

Source: [
• 2
]. 

Inflorescences generally cymose, panicle-, raceme-, spike- or head-like, or flowers solitary

Source: [
• 3
]. 

Annual or perennial herbs, subshrubs, or rarely small shrubs, laticiferous

Source: [
• 3
]. 

Leaves alternate, rarely opposite, simple, entire, dentate to incised or rarely variously lobed, exstipulate

Source: [
• 3
]. 

Petals connate to various degrees, sometimes almost free, valvate in bud

Source: [
• 3
]. 

Stamens alternating with the corolla-lobes, free or rarely adnate to the corolla; anthers very rarely entirely or partly connate, introrse; filaments usually dilated at the base

Source: [
• 3
]. 

Ovary ± inferior, rarely superior, 2–10-locular; ovules few-many, anatropous, on axile placentas; style 1, furnished with pollen-collecting hairs on and usually below the style-lobes

Source: [
• 3
]. 

Fruit capsular, variously dehiscing by apical or lateral valves or pores, or ± baccate

Source: [
• 3
]. 

Flowers bisexual, usually protandrous, regular, (3–)5(–10)-merous, mostly with a bract and 2 bracteoles

Source: [
• 3
]. 

Calyx ± adnate to the ovary; lobes usually free, persistent, valvate

Source: [
• 3
]. 

Seeds 1-many, albuminous; embryo straight, terete

Source: [
• 3
]. 

About 35 genera and some 700 species, especially well represented in the Mediterranean region and S. Africa, but relatively sparsely developed in the tropics

Source: [
• 2
].