Trees. Indumentum of simple hairs. Leaves opposite and decussate, imparipinnate, trifoliolate or rarely unifoliolate; leaf domatia very small pockets, with or without hairs, or absent. Stipules interpetiolar, one pair per node, reniform or bilobed, caducous. Inflorescence axillary, corymbiform, many-flowered, branching at proximal nodes opposite, then subopposite and then alternate, most distal floral subunits cymose, peduncle 1/3-1/2 of total length. Flowers 5-6-merous (except for gynoecium), petaliferous, pedicellate, bisexual but generally markedly protandrous; in male stage, calyx lobes incurved at apex to ± erect, filaments exserted, styles shortish, curved; in female stage, calyx lobes ± erect, petals persistent, stamens fallen, styles elongated, straight. Sepals valvate, ovate to triangular, attached to hypanthium at their greatest width, not connate, glabrous above. Petals ovate to oblong, longer than calyx, not fugaceous. Stamens twice as many as sepals, with filaments thin, subulate, glabrous and anthers broadly cordate, the connective shortly extended. Disc ± distinctly lobed, the number of lobes equal to the number of stamens and sometimes united in pairs, the pairs separated by the alternipetalous stamens and with the alternisepalous stamens deeply impressed on the outer surface, glabrous. Ovary syncarpous, superior, 2-carpellate, hairy, each cell bearing a glabrous, cylindrical style; locules each containing numerous ovules arranged in 2 rows; stigma terminal, small, clavate, papillose. Fruit dehiscent, a septicidal capsule, the valves 2, boat-shaped, coriaceous in central part and thin at the edges (lateral extensions of the endocarp), the margins (placentae) of each valve remaining attached to the endocarp; endocarp often splitting at apex, just below style; central column absent or at most a few strands of tissue at the base of fruit; calyx and styles persistent, the styles divergent. Seeds numerous, small, elongate, with narrow, subequal terminal wings.
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