Habit and leaf form. Herbs. Switch-plants (sometimes), or ‘normal’ plants (mostly); occasionally phyllodineous. Leaves well developed (usually), or much reduced. Plants succulent (sometimes), or non-succulent (mostly). Perennial; with a basal aggregation of leaves, or without conspicuous aggregations of leaves; rhizomatous, or tuberous. Hydrophytic to helophytic, or mesophytic, or xerophytic; when hydrophytic, rooted. Leaves alternate; spiral; ‘herbaceous’ (mostly), or fleshy (in CAM species, e.g. Oxalis megalorrhiza); petiolate; non-sheathing; compound; unifoliolate, or ternate, or pinnate, or palmate. Leaflets often pulvinate (exhibiting ‘sleep movements’). Lamina pinnately veined. Leaves exstipulate; leaf development not ‘graminaceous’. Vernation circinnate (usually), or not circinnate (?).