Glabrous dioecious trees. Leaves opposite, entire, the costa prominent, the lateral veins slightly arcuate, evenly spaced, the minor venation inconspicuous; petioles stout; axillary structures drying hard, dark, conspicuous. Inflorescences lateral on the stems or terminal, sessile, fascicled, cymose panicles; minute bracts and bracteoles present. Flower buds globose or ovoid, sepals 2-4, the outer pair sometimes reduced to minute appressed scales (?bracts), the inner pair imbricate or fused in bud, opposite, decussate; petals 4, imbricate and overtopping the bud; stamens numerous, the filaments free or appearing as if in fascicles, anthers terminal, 2-lobed along the sides of the filament apex, 4-loculed; ovary 3-5-locu-lar, the styles short or wanting, reflexed over the ovary, the stigmas ligulate or spathulate, adaxial and hence facing outwards from the ovary, the ovules 1-2 per locule, pendant, the axil affixed to the upper 3/4 of the placental column, the second ovule when present partly superposed. Fruit a small apically dehiscent berry, outer bracts persistent but other perianth parts deciduous; seeds faboid, striate, exarillate with a convex, discoid, hard caruncle.
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