Shrubs to small trees, mostly highly aromatic. Leaves opposite (rarely slightly alternate), petiolate, palmately trifoliolate (rarely unifoliolate). Inflorescence a dischasial cyme, 1–many-flowered, axillary. Flowers 4-merous. Sepals united basally. Petals free, valvate or imbricate. Disc hypogynous, with 4 prominent lobes opposite sepals. Stamens 4, antisepalous; anthers usually apiculate. Gynoecium 4-carpellate; carpels slightly united at base, unilocular; placentation mid-axile; style solitary; stigma 4-lobed. Fruit of 1–4 cocci; undeveloped carpels, if any, persistent; placental endocarp membranous to subfleshy, forming an ant-attracting elaiosome. Seeds 1 (rarely 2) per coccus; testa thin, brittle, irregularly sculptured; endosperm copious, fleshy; embryo straight; hypocotyl terminal. In this account (in the species descriptions) the central leaflet is described; the lateral ones are similar but usually slightly smaller.
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