Shrubs with yellow wood or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate, simple to pinnate or ternate, entire or toothed, without stipules; petioles present or absent. Inflorescence of solitary flowers or racemose; flowers actinomorphic, bisexual and hypogynous. Perianth of 4–6 whorls of 2–4 free segments each, with 1–2 outer whorls sepaloid, the rest petaloid, usually yellow. Stamens 4 or 6, in 2 whorls. Style short or absent; stigma capitate. Ovary 1-celled, with one to many ovules. Fruit a capsule or berry.

Contains 4 genera and over 500 species confined to the northern hemisphere except for Berberis.

Epimedium L.

Perennial herbs with rhizomes, forming patches. Leaves all basal or including a single cauline leaf, with (2–)3– 9(–11) leaflets, evergreen or deciduous. Inflorescence a terminal raceme on a long flowering stem. Outer sepals 4, caducous. Inner sepals 4, petaloid. Petals 4, flat or extended outwards into a nectar-producing pouch or spur, shorter than sepals. Stamens 4; anthers opening from the base by 2 up-rolling flaps. Style 1, slender, with slightly swollen stigma. Fruit a capsule, opening by 2 flaps; seeds with arils.

Contains 25 woodland species in southern Europe, north-west Africa, south-west Asia, the Himalayas, China and Japan.