Shrubs or small trees. Stipules 0. Leaf surface with characteristic fine tertiary venation. Flowers in fascicles amongst the leaves and on older wood. Calyx of 5 sepals. Corolla of 5 unlobed petals. Staminodes large, petaloid. Fruit a 1-seeded berry; style persistent. Seed subspherical, faintly 5-ribbed with small subcircular basal scar.