Shrubs to small trees, sometimes scandent (Calyptrotheca taitensis, not in Australia), sometimes cactus-like in appearance (Didiereoideae, not in Australia); stems often slightly succulent when young, becoming woody with age, usually differentiated into long and short shoots; short shoots (when present) producing leaves only or leaves and spines (paired or solitary) (in Didiereoideae); tannin deposits (in Didiereoideae and Portulacaria, not known in Calyptrotheca, not in Australia) present; dioecious (often), gynodioecious (Decaryia, not in Australia), monoecious, or hermaphroditic; glabrous (except for woolly hairs which may be present on the filaments). Leaves usually opposite and decussate or sometimes alternate or clustered (Calyptrotheca), borne singly or in pairs, sessile or subsessile, simple, leathery to succulent, flat to terete; stipules absent. Inflorescences are thyrses, panicles to cymes, often fasciculate. Flowers usually unisexual (but some vestiges of the opposite sex present) and then plants dioecious, or flowers bisexual (Calyptrotheca, and in some Portulacaria) or sometimes gynodioecious (some Portulacaria species), actinomorphic, small or showy, sometimes subtended by 1 or few scale-like bracts (not to be confused with sepaloids, which some authors have termed ‘bracts’). Sepaloids 2, equal or unequal, usually persistent. Petaloids 4 and usually in 2 series (Didiereoideae), or 5 (Calyptrotheca and Portulacaria), free or connate at base. Stamens (4–) 5–20 or up to 60 (Calyptrotheca), the filaments free, weakly adnate to the annular nectary or adnate to the petaloids, the filaments often woolly; anthers tetrasporangiate, dithecal, dorsifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Pistillate flowers often with staminodes and an annular nectary. Gynoecium of (2–) 3 (–4) connate carpels. Ovary superior, with (2–) 3 (–4) locules; placentation basal; style 1, apical, simple; stigma usually irregularly strongly to hardly (2-) 3-lobed. Ovules 1 or up to 6 (Calyptrotheca) per locule. Fruit a 1-seeded dry indehiscent capsule enclosed in a pair of bracts, a dry or slightly fleshy nutlet with membranous wings (Portulacaria), a samara (in some Portulacaria) or a 1-(rarely 2-) seeded 6-valved basally circumscissile capsule (Calyptrotheca). Seeds with a small funicular strophiole or an aril; endosperm undeveloped.
Portulacaria afra (Elephant Bush, Dwarf Jade Plant, Porkbush) is commonly cultivated as a tub or pot plant for the attractive leaves.
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