RANUNCULACEAE

 

Annual or perennial herbs, occasionally shrubs or vines. Leaves mostly alternate usually compound; flowers bisexual , actinomorphic, in zygomorhic, solitary, in determinate cymose inflorescence or racemose to paniculate perianth biseriate and differentiated into calyx and corolla , corolla often modified and less petaloid than the often showy sepals, nectifierous glands usually present , the stamens usually many, spirally arranged, hypogynous, distinct, the anthers 2-celled, basifixed, dehiscing longitudinally, the gynoecium of 3-many distinct spirally disposed simple pistils, ovary superior, 1 loculed, 1 carpelled, the ovules 1-many, anatropous, the placentation parietal , fruit typically a follicle; seed with minute embryo and a copious generally water-fleshy endosperm