Tall trees, sometimes attaining 45 m. or shrubs; indumentum sparse and of simple hairs. Flowers polygamous, hermaphrodite or male, solitary or in few-several-flowered fascicles, leaf-opposed; bracts and bracteoles present, the latter placed just under the calyx. Sepals 3, very slightly imbricate, slightly united at the base, much smaller than the petals. Petals 6, in 2 whorls of 3, the outer whorl valvate at the apex in bud but open and revealing inner petals at base, the inner whorl almost imbricate, not distinctly valvate, free, subequal, mostly lanceolate or linear, pubescent on both sides save at base inside. Stamens numerous in ♂ flowers, less numerous in hermaphrodite flowers, linear or linear-oblong; filaments very short; anther-cells extrorse; prolongation of connective ovate, oblong, tongue-like or very short, flattened laterally, sometimes toothed, not in any way broadly laterally truncate. Carpels 10–20, free, linear or oblong, 1–3-ovuled; style obsolete; stigma globose or rhombic, compressed, obscurely lobulate, pubescent at the apex. Monocarps 2–18, indehiscent, globose, distinctly stipitate, l–2(–3)-seeded; endocarp often densely filled with orange-red glands. Seeds depressed globose, very distinctly rugose and often with a circumferential groove; endosperm penetrated by very numerous spine-like projections from inner seed-integument.
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