Small trees or shrubs, deciduous. Winter buds with 2 scales. Leaves odd-pinnate, opposite; stipules caducous; leaflets subcoriaceous, petioluled, margin serrulate. Flowers bisexual, arranged into a terminal panicle. Sepals 5-lobed, persistent, imbricate. Stamens 5, inserted in disk margin; filaments enlarged at base. Disk annular, margin undulate. Ovary superior; styles free, slightly united at base; stigma capitate. Follicles 1-3-locular with persistent sepals. Seeds 1 or 2 per locule, enclosed in a thin white leathery aril; cotyledons rounded.

One species: E Asia.