Allaeanthus Thwaites; Smithiodendron Hu.

Trees, shrubs, or climbers, deciduous, with latex; monoecious or dioecious. Winter buds small. Stipules free, lateral, ovate-lanceolate, caducous. Leaves alternate, spirally arranged or distichous; leaf blade simple to palmately lobed, margin toothed; primary veins 3-5 and plinerved, secondary veins pinnate. Male inflorescences axillary, spicate or ± capitate, many-flowered. Female inflorescences densely capitate to ± elongated; bracts clavate, persistent. Male flowers: calyx (3 or) 4-lobed, valvate; stamens inflexed in bud. Female flowers: calyx lobes connate into a tube, apically entire or 3- or 4-lobed, persistent; ovary enclosed, stipitate; style lateral; stigma linear, often with vestigial second lobe at base. Fruit densely aggregated into globose syncarp. Syncarp globose; pericarp membranous, enlarged; exocarp fleshy. Cotyledons orbicular, flat, or conduplicate; embryo curved.

The bark fibers are used for making paper, the wood is used for furniture, and the leaves and fruit are used medicinally.

Four species: E Asia, Pacific Islands; four species in China.