Elaeagnaceae

Shrubs, small trees, or rarely, woody climbers; usually xerophytes or halophytes. Leaves often deciduous, simple, alternate (usually spiral) (in ours); margins entire; petioles present; shoots often reduced to spines; usually silver or golden with scales or peltate or stellate hairs throughout, silver or golden. Inflorescence of solitary, axillary flowers, racemes, spikes or fascicles. Flowers unisexual, actinomorphic, often with a fleshy hypanthium. Perianth 1-whorled (petals absent) fused, at least basally; usually blunt-lobed, often petaloid. Stamen filaments attached to hypanthium. Ovary superior with 1 carpel; placentation basal. Fruit an achene, berry or drupe-like.

Worldwide: 3 genera and 60 species in temperate and warm Northern hemisphere extending to tropical Asia and Australia

Zimbabwe: 1 cultivated genus and 1 cultivated taxon.