Annual or perennial, insectivorous herbs. Stipules present or 0 (indica). Leaves in whorls or alternate, frequently in basal rosettes; lamina with stalked glands which trap small insects. Flowers in racemes, cymes or occasionally solitary, actinomorphic, hypogynous, bisexual. Sepals, petals and stamens usually 5, rarely 4-8. Petals free. Ovary superior, subspherical and glabrous, with 3-5 1-locular carpels. Styles 3 (in ours), 2-partite to the base. Fruit a loculicidal capsule.