Evergreen shrubs or trees, bisexual, monoecious or (not in Australia) dioecious, usually aromatic. Plants glabrous or hairy. Stem nodes sometimes conspicuously swollen or flattened. Leaves exstipulate, opposite-decussate, petiolate; lamina simple, pinnately veined; midrib conspicuous, often with small translucent gland-dots. Flowers terminal or axillary, solitary or in inflorescences of simple dichasia or thyrsiform, pedicellate, odourless or fragrant. Bracts and bracteoles present or absent. Perianth regular, with 1 or more whorls, of 4–20 segments; segments usually tepaloid, free. Stamens 4–10 or more; staminal filaments present or (not in Australia) absent; anthers basifixed, 2-celled, dehiscing by valves, appendages absent or apical; staminodes present or absent. Carpels 4–30, superior, free. Style single, unbranched, terminal or arising from near base of carpel. Ovule 1 per loculus; placentation ± basal. Fruit a cluster of achenes (sometimes incorrectly referred to as nutlets) borne on or within the enlarged hypanthium, with surface ± smooth or with fine, plumose hairs; hypanthium usually dehiscent into 1–4 valves.
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