Trees or shrubs, semievergreen. Leaves in spirals, even-pinnate; leaflets [2-]4[-8] pairs; leaflet blades with margin entire. Thyrses axillary, consisting of sparse cymes. Flowers appearing bisexual. Calyx short, 4-lobed; lobes oblong, contorted in bud. Staminal tube kettlelike, apically narrowed, apex 8-lobed; anthers 8, sessile, inserted between and alternating with lobes, oblong, included. Disk thick, hemispheric, fleshy, adnate with ovary base. Ovary small, globose, 4-locular, with 3 or 4 superposed ovules per locule; style cylindric; stigma disciform. Capsule globose; pericarp fleshy, dehiscing into 4 segments. Seeds 5-20, large and thick, irregularly tetrahedral to pyramidal; sarcotesta spongy; endosperm absent; cotyledons thick.

Three species: tropical E Africa, tropical Asia, W Pacific islands; one species in China.

(Authors: Peng Hua (彭华); David J. Mabberley)