Trees, monoecious; indumentum with simple hairs and usually scales and stellate hairs. Leaves alternate; stipules small, soon lost; petiole base and apex swollen; leaf blade abaxially hairy or glabrous, with 1-4 glands at base, adaxially glabrous or nearly so, margin entire to crenate or dentate; venation pinnate. Inflorescences axillary, usually few branched, bisexual, male flowers in mostly terminal clusters, female flowers 1 to few at base. Male flowers: calyx lobes 2 or 3(-5), valvate; petals absent; disk absent; stamens 2-5; filaments connate at base; anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed; pistillode small, columnar. Female flowers: sepals 5 and joined, or 8 and free, imbricate, caducous; petals absent; disk absent; ovary 3-or 4-locular, ± spiny; styles terete, connate below; stigmas 3 or 4, 2-to many lobed, papillose. Fruit a capsule, deeply lobed, muricate or verrucose. Seeds subglobose, smooth, marbled; aril and caruncle absent.