Shrubs or small trees, monoecious or dioecious, most parts stellate-pubescent. Leaves alternate, simple; stipules small, persistent; petiole short; leaf blade margin entire or crenate-serrulate; venation pinnate. Plants monoecious [or dioecious]. Inflorescences axillary, spikelike thyrses, rarely with a few short branches, male flowers in clusters, sparsely spaced along axis, female flowers few at base. Male flowers: calyx lobes 3 or 4, short, valvate; petals absent; disk absent; stamens 3-8(-10); filaments thick, ± triangular-ovate; anthers small, thecae indistinct, introrse; pistillode small. Female flowers: sepals 4-10, often connate into shortly lobed cup, imbricate; petals absent; disk absent; ovary [2 or]3-locular, tomentose; styles 3, connate below, 2-to many lobed, plumose. Fruiting calyx sometimes accrescent; capsule splitting into [2 or]3 2-valved cocci, stellate-pubescent. Seeds subglobose, smooth, marbled; aril or caruncle absent.
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