Glabrous trees, shrubs or subshrubs with yellow pigment under the bark. Leaves petiolate; lamina entire to glandular-serrate with characteristic venation; stipules free, longitudinally striate, laciniate or deeply divided into linear segments, often persistent on young shoots. Flowers solitary or in panicles or fascicles, the fascicles sometimes forming spikes or heads, terminal or at base of young growth. Sepals (4–)5, usually quincuncially imbricate in bud, persistent and becoming red and coriaceous in fruit. Petals (4–)5, white to pink, deciduous. Stamens (8–)10–20(–22), free; anthers yellow, dehiscing by longitudinal slits, deciduous; filaments slender, persistent. Carpels (3–)5–10, free at base, 1-ovuled; styles slender, gynobasic with small stigmas. Fruit of 1-several free drupelets with fleshy mesocarp and with internal projections of endocarp. Seeds curved, without endosperm.