Trunk and branches terete. Bark thin, close or becoming furrowed or broken into plates; lenticels not conspicuous. Bark and wood tanniferous. Young twigs and buds usually without prominent, large, resinous glands; pith circular to remotely triangular in cross section. Leaves 2-ranked. Staminate flowers: perianth absent. Pistillate flowers 2 per bract; perianth adnate to ovary, often visible as membranaceous fringe at summit; ovules with 2 integuments. Infructescences usually longer than 4 cm, consisting of relatively uncrowded clusters with large, nearly foliaceous bracts; bracts deciduous with fruits. Fruits tiny to moderately large nuts, not winged; pericarp thick and bony.

Genera 4, species ca. 45 (3 genera, 7 species in the flora): primarily boreal and cool temperate zones of Northern Hemisphere