Plants usually herbs, shrubs ,or leafless parasitic vines, rarely trees, frequently climbing or or prostrate. Leaves alternate, simple, entire or lobed, without stipules. Inflorescences various. Flowers radially symmetric, usually bisexual, rarely unisexual; calyces of (4-)5 imbricate sepals, free or united at the base; corollas funnel-shaped or salviform, entire or (4-)5-lobed, induplicate-valvate or convolute in bud; stamens (3-)5, inserted on the corolla tube, alternating with the lobes; anthers 2-thecous, opening with longitudinal slits; pollen grains spinulose (visible at 40x or smooth); annular disk usually present around ovary bases; ovaries superior, compound, (1-)2-3(5)-celled, placentation basal or almost so, usually 2 ovules per cell; styles 1-2(-3), terminal, stigmas variously shaped. Fruits usually capsules, rarely berries or nutlike; seeds usually 1-4, with a large embryo and hard endsperm.
The Convolvulaceae family includes about 56 genera and 1600 species. The generic boundaries are unsatisfactory but, until there is a satisfactory revision for the whole family, the traditional generic concepts are accepted. Some members of the family are grown as ornamental plants or for food, others are considered noxious weeds.
