Woody climbers. Leaves sometimes peltate. Inflorescences supra-axillary and cymose (but not in Malesia), or cauliflorous and composed of a raceme of cymes. Male flowers: sepals 6, outer 3 narrower than inner 3; petals 6 with sides folded inwards around the opposite stamen; stamens 6, free; anthers dehiscing with a transverse slit. Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male flowers; staminodes 6, filamentose with rudimentary anthers; carpels 3; stigmas recurved, flattened with margins dentate. Drupe laterally compressed, obovate (extra-Mal.) or narrowly obovate and curved in outline with style-scar close to base; endocarp dorsally bearing many transverse ridges, with an elongate curved depression on each lateral face (Mal. spp.). Seed (Mal. spp.) narrowly horse-shoe-shaped, sharply curved around the deeply intrusive narrow condyle; embryo narrow, radicle much shorter than the flat cotyledons; endosperm scanty.