These are usually
shrubs or subshrubs, and some are
herbaceous annuals or perennials. The
leaves are oppositely arranged, but some plants may have alternately arranged leaves along the upper stems. The flowers are solitary or borne in an array of
inflorescence types, such as
panicles,
racemes, or headlike clusters. The flower has three inner
sepals and two smaller outer sepals. It has five petals usually in shades of yellow, orange, or pink. The
style at the center is tipped with a large stigma. The fruit is a capsule containing many seeds. ==Ecology==