The plant family known as is characterized by simple, exstipulate leaves that may be entire to pinnately lobed, and alternate or opposite; perfect and irregular flowers having four to five united petals with two lobes on the upper lip and three lobes on the lower lip; and typically with four stamens, although some have a staminode that is smaller or larger than the other stamens. the calyx is composed of four or five sepals, usually partially fused at the base, and the fruit is a septicidal capsule with numerous tiny seeds. medicinal species include verbascum, euphrasia, pedicularis, and veronica.