Aquatic
or marsh or alpine herbs; leaves whorled, pinnately dissected among our plants
others elsewhere may be shrubby, leaves alternate, opposite or whorled,
sometimes large; flowers small, calyx segments 2 oe 4 (or lacking); petals
lacking or 2 or 4 and soon gone; stamens 4 or 8, stigmas often plumose, fruit
drupaceous.