Scandent shrubs, small trees or lianas, evergreen (in Australia) or deciduous. Leaves subopposite to alternate, petiolate; stipules free, often persistent; lamina with serrulate or denticulate margin. Inflorescences axillary cymes or fascicles of flowers in axils of leaves; bracts persistent. Flowers bisexual, 5-merous, yellow to greenish, pedicellate. Hypanthium cup-to dish-shaped. Sepals erect or spreading, lobes triangular, keeled. Petals cucullate or longitudinally rolled around the stamens, clawed, erect or incurved. Stamens subequal to the petals, incurved or erect. Disc conspicuous, filling the hypanthium, smooth, glabrous, nectariferous. Ovary ± superior, immersed in disc but free from it; carpels 1 or 2; style 2-fid at tip. Fruit an ellipsoid, succulent drupe, first yellow to orange or red, turning purple to black when ripe, with rudimentary style at apex, 1 or 2 loculed, with 1 or 2 seeds.