Trees. Stipules small, axillary, caducous. Leaves spiral, paripinnate, 2-4-jugate. Leaflets opposite or subopposite, petiolulate. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, solitary or mostly in fascicles, paniculate; bracts and bracteoles small, deciduous or persistent. Flowers bisexual, pedicelled, zygomorphic, articulated at the base, easily falling off. Hypanthium infundibuliform. Calyx lobes 4, imbricate. Petals 2 developed, lateral, clawed at the base, and with 1 or 2, minute, reduced ones (at abaxial side). Stamens 2 fertile, opposite the developed petals; filaments filiform, dilated at basal parts and united with the staminodes to form an unequal, very short, incomplete ring (which is sometimes 1-3-tipped or toothed and with 1 or 2 minute staminodes in the gap between the two ends of the ring); anthers oblong, longitudinally splitting. Ovary with an almost free stipe (or only the basal part united with the floral tube), oblong, flat, 2-5-ovuled; style filiform, recurvate; stigma capitellate. Pods hatchet-shaped, woody, 2-valved, the valves finally coiling into a closed spiral. Seeds flat, disc-shaped.
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