Annuals, biennials, or perennials [subshrubs]; usually glandular (glands multicellular on multiseriate stalks). Trichomes stalked [sessile], dendritic and forked, sometimes mixed with simple ones. Cauline leaves petiolate or sessile [subsessile]; blade base not auriculate, margins usually entire, dentate, or pinnatisect, rarely subentire. Racemes ebracteate, often elongated in fruit. Flowers actinomorphic; sepals erect, lateral pair often saccate basally; petals white, yellow, pink, purple, violet, or brown [yellowish green or orange], claw present, usually distinct; filaments unappendaged, not winged; pollen 3-colpate. Fruits siliques, dehiscent, unsegmented, latiseptate, terete, or 4-angled; ovules [4-]15-60 per ovary; style distinct or obsolete; stigma 2-lobed (lobes often connivent). Seeds uniseriate; cotyledons accumbent [incumbent].

Genera 6, species 68 (1 genus, 2 species in the flora): introduced; Eurasia, Africa, Atlantic Islands (Canary Islands).

Lower Taxon

• Matthiola W. T. Aiton