Large trees. Leaves large and coriaceous, or unusually small for the family, entire to crenulate, usually not congested at the tips of the twigs. Flowers in subterminal or axillary panicles. Hypanthium obovoid. Calyx deeply 6-lobed, becoming a more or less prominently thickened and approximately median rim in fruit. Petals 6, unequal. Androphore strongly bilaterally symmetrical, produced into a prominent posterior simply involute wholly or partially staminodial hood concealing the low staminiferous central-disc; anthers ovoid, dehiscing longi-tudinally. Ovary 4-celled, with several pendulous anatropous ovules; stigma sessile, 4-radiate. Fruit a large woody subglobose dehiscent pyx, the seeds several, large and angulate, pendulous from the greatly enlarged fleshy funicles, the embryo undifferentiated.
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