Evergreen trees with bisexual flowers. Leaves entire to spiny-denticulate, penni-nerved. Stipules small, usually glandular-pectinate at the base, early caducous, leaving small scars. Flowers in dense, many-flowered, axillary spikes, free. Calyx connate, closed in bud, splitting into 2-4 unequal rather irregular lobes, persistent in anthesis. Petals 5, linear-spathulate, with two lateral lobes at the base. Stamens (4-)5, alternipetalous, filaments very short, stout, anthers basifix, obovoid, laterally flattened, with4 pollen sacs, 2-celled, dehiscing laterally with 4 valves; connective produced into an adaxial, subulate awn. Staminodes lacking. Disk lacking. Ovary inferior, 2-celled, each cell with 1 pendent ovule; styles 2, slender, very short, with slightly adaxially, decurrent, papillose stigmas. Fruits unknown.
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