Plants in the loasaceae family are herbs, characterized by light-colored stems, bristly (sometimes stinging) hairs and relatively large flowers, usually orange, yellow or cream. Flowers have five petals, five sepals, and five or more stamens. Petals can be single or fused. Leaves are often pinnately lobed, and can be alternate or opposite. In the US there are four genera (cevallia, eucnide, mentzelia, petalonyx), and about 95 species.