Shrubs or trees. Leaves alternate, distichous, petiolate, the stipules early cadu-cous, the blade crenate or serrate, rarely entire-margined or nearly so, usually pellucid-punctate, sometimes coriaceous and epunctate. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, fasciculate or cymose. Flowers rather small, I, the pedicels articulated above the base, the bracteoles small, the bracts and bracteoles sometimes united into a cupule; sepals 4-5, imbricate, free or scarcely united at the base, somewhat petaloid, reflexed or not at anthesis, deciduous; petals absent; stamens 10-20 or co, inserted on an obsolete disc, the filaments free, equal or not, the anthers small, elliptic or linear, not appendaged, introrse, attached at or above the base, longitudi-nally dehiscent; staminodes none; ovary free, 1-locular, with 3 parietal placentas, the placentas few-to many-ovulate; style short, simple or shortly but distinctly 3-lobed, the stigmas capitate or lobed. Fruit a berry-like capsule, tardily valvately dehiscent, sometimes resinous within; seeds few to numerous, arillate, the testa coriaceous; endosperm copious; embryo straight; cotyledons broad and foliaceous.
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