Vines. Stems with cuplike petiole scars. Petiole usually short; leaf blade not peltate, pinnately [sometimes palmately] veined. Inflorescences axillary or on old leafless stems, mostly cymose; peduncles sometimes 1-flowered and fascicled. Male flowers: sepals 6-15 in 3 whorls, free, imbricate, outer whorl minute, inner whorl largest, usually rotund and concave; petals (0-)2-5, minute, mostly broadly obovate; stamens (2-)4-11(-18), filaments connate for most of their length, anthers subglobose, dehiscing transversely. Female flowers: sepals and petals as in male; carpels 2-6, ovate, slightly swollen abaxially, stigmas ligulate and recurved. Drupes ± subglobose, style scar on adaxial side below apex, arising from margin of (subglobose) carpophore; endocarp papery, crustaceous, or subligneous; condyle usually inconspicuous. Seed similar to drupes in shape; endosperm absent; cotyledons large and thick, slightly curved, much longer than radicle.

About nine species: SE Asia and Australia (Queensland); two species in China.