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Herbs [shrubs or trees], perennial, monoecious; hairs unbranched, always some stinging; latex white. Leaves [persistent or deciduous], alternate, simple; stipules present, deciduous [persistent]; petiole present, glands present at apex; blade palmately lobed [unlobed], margins entire or dentate, laminar glands absent; venation palmate (pinnate in lobes) [pinnate]. Inflorescences bisexual (pistillate flowers central, staminate lateral), terminal, dichasial cymes; glands subtending each bract 0. Pedicels present. Staminate flowers: sepals 5, white, petaloid, imbricate, connate 1/2 length; petals 0; nectary intrastaminal, annular; stamens [8–]10[–25] in 2[–6] whorls, outer whorl distinct [connate proximally], inner whorl connate proximally; staminodes absent or present at apex of staminal column; pistillode absent. Pistillate flowers: sepals 5, white, petaloid, distinct [connate proximally]; petals 0; nectary annular; staminodes often present; pistil 3-carpellate; styles 3, connate basally, [1–]2–3 times 2-fid. Fruits capsules. Seeds ovoid; caruncle present. x = 9.
Monoecious; pet none; staminate cal gamosepalous, petaloid, white, with 5 imbricate lobes; disk annular, extrastaminal; stamens 8–10+, at least the inner connate below; pistillate cal small and caducous; ovary trilocular; styles several times bifid or laciniate; seeds 3, carunculate; herbs or woody plants with septate pith and milky juice, armed with stinging hairs; lvs simple, alternate, coarsely toothed or lobed; fls in terminal cymes, the staminate above the few pistillate ones. 50, New World.
