Trees, small, evergreen. Leaves alternate, paripinnate, estipulate; leaflets alternate or subopposite, base asymmetric, margin obtusely serrate. Thyrses terminal and axillary, large, multibranched, each inflorescence with many male flowers and few female flowers. Flowers unisexual; buds globose. Pedicels jointed. Sepals 5, imbricate, outer 1 smaller. Petals 5, longer than sepals, obovate or oblong, clawed, each side with 1 inflexed earlike scale at base. Disk annular, 5-lobed. Stamens (male flowers) 8; filaments long exserted above petals, glabrous; anthers small, ovoid. Ovary (female flowers) hairy, 3-loculed, each locule with 2 or 3 ovules; stigma shallowly 2-or 3-lobed. Capsules ovoid or globose, 3-winged; schizocarps 3, membranous, abaxially veined, adaxially shiny. Seeds 1 per locule; testa 2-layered; outer layer black, shiny, crustaceous; inner layer thinner; embryo spirally curved, radicle short.
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