Shrubs evergreen, climbing, with aerial rootlets. Leaves opposite, petiolate, stipulate; leaf blade margin entire or dentate. Inflorescence terminal, a corymbose panicle. Flowers bisexual, small. Calyx tube adnate to ovary; lobes 7-10. Petals 7-10, valvate in bud. Stamens 20-30; filaments slender; anthers 2-loculed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovary inferior; ovules numerous. Style robust; stigma flat, discoid. Fruit a capsule, dehiscing along ribs; carpels free from columella. Seeds numerous, membranous winged at both ends.

Two species: one in China, one in E North America.

(Authors: Huang Shumei (Hwang Shu-mei); Bruce Bartholomew)