Shrubs or small trees, unarmed. Raphides absent. Leaves opposite or sometimes markedly anisophyllous and apparently ternate due to reduced internodes grouping 2 leaves at 1 node and an apparently single leaf produced on a single very short axillary branch, without domatia or these few, pilosulous, and rudimentary; stipules persistent, interpetiolar or sometimes shortly united around stem, triangular, acuminate to aristate. Inflorescence terminal on principal branches or on reduced axillary branches, quickly becoming overtopped by growth of 1 or 2 axillary branches thus appearing axillary or sometimes with subtending leaf caducous and then appearing pseudoaxillary, corymbiform, many flowered, pedunculate, bracteate. Flowers pedicellate, bisexual, monomorphic. Calyx limb deeply 5(or 6)-lobed. Corolla white, salverform with tube slender, glabrous inside; lobes 5(or 6), convolute in bud. Stamens 5(or 6), inserted in corolla throat, partially exserted; filaments reduced; anthers dorsifixed, bifid at base, with connective prolonged apically into a short conical appendage. Ovary 2-celled, ovules 1 in each cell on peltate axile placentas; stigma subglobose to ellipsoid, long exserted. Fruit black, drupaceous but sometimes appearing baccate, compressed subglobose to somewhat didymous, fleshy, with calyx limb deciduous; pyrenes 2, 1-celled, with 1 seed, plano-convex to oblate, papery or cartilaginous; seeds medium-sized, oblate or concave on ventral face; endosperm corneous; embryo small; cotyledons ovate; radicle basiscopic.
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