Shrubs or small trees, without stinging hairs. Leaves opposite; stipules deciduous, lateral, free; leaf blade 3-veined, often bullate-rugose adaxially, margin serrate; cystoliths punctiform. Inflorescences axillary, at proximal nodes of older branches, glomerules globose or semiglobose, of unisexual flowers (plants monoecious or dioecious). Male flowers: perianth lobes 4 or 5, valvate; stamens 4 or 5; filaments inflexed in bud; rudimentary ovary obovoid, tomentose around base. Female flowers: perianth connate into a tube, free from ovary, ventricose, 2- or unequally 4-toothed. staminodes absent. Ovary straight; style present; stigma filiform, recurved, long fimbriate on adaxial side, persistent; ovule orthotropous. Achene enclosed by fleshy perianth, compressed.

Between 15 and 30 species: China (Taiwan), Indonesia, C Malaysia, New Guinea, Philippines, Pacific Islands; one species in China.

(Authors: Chen Jiarui (陈家瑞 Chen Chia-jui); Ib Friis, C. Melanie Wilmot-Dear)