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Woody lianas climbing by hook-shaped inflorescence axes and stout spreading spines on older stems, glabrous. Inflorescence cymose, 2 or 3 flowers developing sequentially on each laterally compressed hook-shaped axis, leaf-opposed by sympodial growth of each axillary shoot; bracts small, often caducous. Flowers bisexual, sometimes fragrant. Sepals valvate, free or shortly connate. Petals of both series valvate, concave inside at base enclosing stamens and carpels, usually spreading in apical portion; outer petals free; inner petals coherent above base, not separating when falling. Stamens with a broad connective concealing anther cells. Pollen grains solitary. Carpels usually numerous with 2 erect collateral ovules; style and stigma elongate. Apocarps indehiscent, frequently obovoid, mostly sessile, 1-or 2-seeded. Seeds longitudinally half-ovoid or obloid, smooth, brown.
Climbing shrubs or woody lianas. Inflorescences 1-or few-flowered clusters; peduncle recurved, woody, persistent, forming a hook. Flowers bisexual, often fragrant. Torus flat or concave. Sepals 3, valvate, connate at base. Petals 6, in 2 whorls, pale yellowish, subequal, with each whorl valvate, base concave, apex connivent. Stamens many, outermost series sometimes forming staminodes; connectives apically dilated, apex truncate. Carpels 4 to many; ovules 2 per carpel, basal; stigmas ovoid, oblong, or clavate. Fruit apocarpous; monocarps fasciculate, sessile or shortly stipitate, ellipsoid-obovoid or globose, fleshy and berrylike. Seeds 1 or 2 per monocarp, without an aril.
Petals 6, free, in two equal or unequal whorls, both valvate, usually thick, erect or spreading, flat or ± subulate, usually ± concave at the base and enclosing the reproductive parts.
Stamens ?, oblong or cuneiform, with thecae extrorse and connective-prolongation broadened and truncate, the outer ones sometimes staminodial; filaments very short or absent.
Carpels few (6) to numerous, free; ovary ovoid or ellipsoid, with 2 basal ovules; style as long as the ovary or shorter, cylindric or ± flattened, oblique; stigma small.
Flowers bisexual, solitary or in condensed cymes, extra-axillary (rarely terminal), pedicellate, on usually hooked and flattened peduncles.
Shrubs or rarely small trees, usually climbing or scrambling, with simple hairs.
Ripe carpels indehiscent, succulent, cylindric or ellipsoid, 1–2-seeded.
Sepals 3, valvate, equal to the petals or shorter.
Bracts and bracteoles small, often caducous.
Seeds vertical, collateral; aril absent.
Buds ovoid.
