Leaves alternate, simple, entire, with an ocrea (stipule sheating the stem)
Flowers in a variety of infls., small, bisexual, actinomorphic
Placentation basal
Fruit lens-shaped or triangular achene
Seed with straight or curved embryo and abundant endosperm
30 genera, 1000 species, related to Caryophyllales but no betalains
Economic importance: Fagopyrum esculentum (buckwheat), Rheum (rhubarb), weeds - Polygonum (smartweed), Rumex (dock)