This family includes perennial or annual herbs, shrubs up to trees. The leaves are simple and alternate, sometimes there are extra-floral nectaries at the base of the petioles. The inflorescence is axilar or terminal and sometimes (e.g. Monnina hirta) can be paniculate. The flowers are actino- to zygomorphic. The five sepals can be totally free to totally connated, usually the outer three are green and the two lateral and internal sepals are usually much bigger, petaloid and conspicuous. There are five petals, the external and lateral two can be reduced or absent, the internal median petal is usually keeled (Monnina) or apically fimbriated (very evident in Polygala, and the internal adaxial petals are adnated to the staminal shath, and are also colored or they can be free. The androecium formed by usually two Š of 4 connated stamens each, can be free or adnated to the ventral surface of the central petal. The anthers open by pores or by slits. The ovary is superior and it can have or not a basal floral nectary, it has (1-) 2 (-5) locules and seeds; usually the style is geniculate and sometimes is apically bilobated. The fruit can be capsular, with loculicidal aperture inPolygala, Bredemeyera and Muraltia, with septicidal dehiscence in Salomonia. The fruit also can be drupaceous in Carpolobia, Monnina, and Nylandtia. Samaroid fruits with one wing are present in Securidaca, and with two wings in some species of Monnina. According to Hegnauer (1969) specimens of australian species of Comesperma dye the paper brown where they were pressed. Something similar has been recorded by Royen & Steenis (1952) in species of Eriandra, Diclidanthera, Moutabea and Barnhartia.