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Shrubs or trees, often with spines on the trunk and/or branches. Leaves alternate, persistent, subcoriaceous or coriaceous, entire or shallowly to rather deeply glandular-serrate-crenate, reddish or purplish when young, penninerved; stipules minute, caducous. Flowers small, bisexual, rarely also ♂ on the same specimen, in axillary, mostly simple, sometimes compound racemes, these rarely reduced to few-flowered fascicles or even to a solitary flower. Sepals 4–6, narrowly imbricate or subvalvate, ± connate at the base. Petals as many as sepals and similar with these. Receptacle flat, sometimes set with hairs around the base of the ovary and the base of the filaments. Extrastaminal disk, if present, composed of one row of free, short, thick orange glands. Stamens indefinite in number, pluriseriate, exceeding the petals at full anthesis; anthers dorsifixed, the connective often produced beyond the thecae into an apicular appendage. Ovary sessile, with 2–4(–5) few-ovuled placentas; style rather long, whether or not 3–4-partite distally; stigmas entire or slightly 2–3(–5)-lobed. Berry subglobose or ovoid, (1–)2–3(–6)-seeded, somewhat fleshy, with the withered sepals, petals and stamens at the base, crowned by the ± persistent style. Seeds with a hard testa, without an aril.
Small trees or shrubs, often with spines on the trunk, and (or) the branches. Leaves alternate, entire to shallowly serrate or crenate, ± coriaceous, glabrous, pinnately nerved, sometimes with 2 distinct glands (hydathodes) at the very base of the blade or at the apex of the petiole. Stipules in the leaf-axils minute, early caducous. Flowers rather small, bisexual, in axillary, mostly simple racemes sometimes reduced to few-flowered fascicles or to a solitary flower. Sepals (3-)4-6, imbricate, expanded a long time before anthesis, ± connate at the base. Petals as many as sepals, similar in shape. Stamens indefinite, whether or not surrounded by a row of free, short, orange glands; these mostly 2 opposite each petal, rarely forming a continuous disk, inserted on the tomentose receptacle, downwards-incurved in bud, longer than petals; anthers elliptic-ovoid, dorsifixed, the connective produced into an apiculate appendage beyond the thecae in all Mal. spp. Ovary sessile, unilocular, with 2-4, few-ovuled, deeply penetrating placentas. Style rather long, ± persistent; stigma entire or slightly 2-lobed. Berry (1-)2-3(-6), very rarely up to 20-seeded, somewhat fleshy, with the sepals, petals and the withered stamens at the base.
Trees or shrubs, often spinose. Leaves spirally arranged, serrate, crenate or entire; stipules minute, caducous. Flowers bisexual, in axillary racemes, sometimes reduced to few-flowered fasicles, or solitary. Sepals 3–10, usually 4–6, imbricate, shortly connate at base, expanded long before anthesis. Petals as many as sepals, similar in shape. Disc extra-staminal, glandular, or absent. Stamens indefinite, in several series, incurved in bud, exceeding petals at anthesis; anthers dorsifixed; connective often produced. Ovary superior, sessile; placentas 2–4, ovules few; style long, more or less persistent; stigmas entire or lobed. Fruit a somewhat fleshy berry with withered sepals, petals and stamens persistent at base. Seeds with a hard testa; aril absent; endosperm abundant.
Disk fleshy, filling and sometimes elevated above the receptacle, usually with numerous glandular lobules at its margin and sometimes between the stamens.
Stamens numerous, borne on the surface of the disk; filaments very slender; anthers 2-thecous, the connective produced as a short horn or apiculus.
Ovary sessile, 1-locular with 2–6 parietal placentas; ovules few or numerous; style simple, stigmas 3–6, short.
Flowers bisexual in axillary racemes or solitary in the axils.
Petals c. 5, similar to the sepals but slightly smaller.
Leaves glabrous, usually leathery, entire or toothed.
Fruit a more or less fleshy berry with several seeds.
Shrubs or trees; branches often spiny.
Receptacle usually funnel-shaped.
Sepals c. 5, imbricate.
