Trees or shrubs, evergreen. Buds and young branches often ± densely brownish pubescent. Leaves alternate, with small, caducous stipules; leaf blade ovate to obovate or elliptic to lanceolate, rarely nearly cordate, papery to leathery, pinnately veined, abaxially usually glabrous, adaxially whitish to rusty pubescent, margin entire. Flowers bisexual, 5-merous, many in di- or trichotomous, axillary or rarely terminal cymes. Calyx tube patelliform to hemispherical; sepals 5, triangular, adaxially keeled. Petals 5, clawed, cucullate. Stamens 5, enfolded by petals. Disk mainly thick, nectariferous. Ovary inferior, immersed in disk, 2- or 3-loculed, with 1 ovule per locule; style short, often divided into 2 to 3 slightly capitate stylar branches, basally often densely whitish to yellowish pubescent or glabrous. Fruits drupaceous, globose or broadly ovoid, at base surrounded by persistent calyx tube; mesocarp thick, initially fleshy, later dry and mealy; endocarp splitting longitudinally into 2 or 3, hard, leathery, 1-seeded endocarpids. Seeds ± completely enclosed by a membranous, reddish to brownish aril; testa smooth, crustaceous; embryo straight; endocarp cartilaginous.

About ten species: SE Asia, Australia, Pacific islands; one species in China.