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Monoecious shrubs or small trees. Leaves opposite, entire, coriaceous. In-florescences axillary, racemose, congested, bracteate, usually with a single terminal female flower and several to many lateral male flowers. Flowers apetalous; male flowers with 4 sepals, the stamens 4-6, opposite the sepals, the filaments exserted, the anthers dorsifixed near the base; female flowers with 4-6 sepals, the ovary 3-locular with 3 distinct styles and 2 ovules per locule. Fruit a capsule, 3-parted, apically 3-horned from the persistent styles; seeds oblong, black.
Much-branched shrubs or rarely trees. Lvs opposite. Fls unisexual, in small dense, shortly pedunculate or sessile, axillary racemes; bracts similar to sepals but smaller. ♂ fls with 4-(6) calyx segments, and vestigial 3-lobed ovary or ovary 0. ♀ fls terminal within racemes, lacking a distinct calyx; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, united at base or free. Capsule ovoid, 3-horned; seeds oblong, 3-sided.
Male flowers with 4 perianth segments, 2 outer and 2 inner ones, equal or unequal; stamens 4–6(10), usually opposite a perianth segment or more stamens at each perianth segment; anthers sessile, subsessile or on clearly distinguishable filaments, dorsifixed near the base, opening by longitudinal slits; rudimentary ovary truncate or 3-lobed at apex or absent.
Fruit capsular, dehiscing loculicidally, valves each with 2 apical, horn-like projections, representing remains of the styles; endocarp hard, separating from exocarp at maturity.
Flowers in short compact spikes, often consisting of a terminal female flower subtended by bracts in the axils of which are 2–4 male flowers, or each inflorescence unisexual.
Female flowers with 4–6 perianth segments; staminodes absent; ovary 3-locular; styles 3, thick, grooved and with recurved stigmatic part; ovules 2 per locule.
Small, usually much branched trees and shrubs; glabrous throughout.
Seeds usually 3-ridged or ovoid-oblong, with black, shiny testa.
Leaves opposite, entire, coriaceous.
