Members of the Zygophyllaceae include trees, shrubs, and herbs that are often jointed at the nodes. The leaves are usually opposite, 2-ranked, and evenly pinnately compound. They usually have stipules and are often resinous. The flowers are bisexual, radially symmetric, and have 5, more or less distinct, sepals and 5 distinct petals. The ovary is superior, the stigma punctate.
Fruit is a capsule, rather an unpleasantly spiny capsule in the case of puncture vine.
The family has a few members of note. Lignum vitae, which refers to very hard, heavy woods, belong here and both Larrea and Tribulus are apparently used as ornamentals, but not in my back yard.