Shrubs, monoecious. Leaves simple, alternate, shortly petiolate; leaf blade entire, rarely divided; venation pinnate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary, male flowers in dense or lax racemelike thyrses, female flowers in umbel-like or racemelike inflorescences, sometimes 1 to several inserted at base of male inflorescences; bracts absent; pedicels delicate. Male flowers: sepals 4 or 5, imbricate; petals 4 or 5, shorter than sepals; disk glands scalelike; stamens 10-30, inserted on elevated receptacle; filaments free. Female flowers: pedicels stouter in upper part; sepals 5, accrescent or slightly so; petals absent; disk annular or divided; ovary 3-or 4-locular; ovules 1 per locule; styles 3, free, bifid. Capsule slightly depressed globose, with 3 longitudinal grooves. Seeds not strophiolate; endosperm fleshy; cotyledon broad and flat.
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