Succulent herbs with furrowed stem and alternate, usually entire leaves. Flowers perfect, solitary or clustered, axillary, in spike-like inflorescences; each cluster united by their bases; bracts small to abortive, herbaceous; bracteoles very small or abortive. Perianth 5-lobed, indurated at base. Stamens 5, inserted on the rim of glandular, perigynous disc. Ovary adherent at base to perianth, 3-carpellary, ± trigonous with 2-3- stigmas. Utricle (fruit) enclosed within perianth and connate by their swollen bases to form a pseudocarp which becomes detached at maturity. Seed horizontal, lenticular or reniform, glossy; embryo annular or almost so.

About 10 species in the Euro-Siberian and the Mediterranean region; represented by the following species in our area.

Lower Taxon

• Beta vulgaris Linnaeus