The Caryophyllaceae is a large family with about 80 genera and 2000 species. It is commonly called the carnation or pink family. This is a primarily temperate region family with a few members growing toward the tops of tropical mountains. The greatest diversity of this family is in the Mediterranean. Almost all are herbaceous with only a few being shrubby. Leaves are simple, entire and mostly alternate, the flowers are regular and almost all perfect, and the fruits are capsules or achenes. Typically the petals are notched, toothed, fringed or lobed in some fashion. This is a family of mostly ornamentals, wildflowers and weedy species, with Dianthus (the carnation) being probably the most important economically. Other familiar members are baby's breath, catchflies and campions, bouncing bet, chickweeds and sand spurreys.