Shrubs or small trees. Leaves simple, alternate or clustered. Inflorescence a terminal, corymbose raceme, or flowers clustered or solitary in the leaf axils. Flowers zygomorphic. Receptacle flattened or shallowly concave. Sepals 4, imbricate, the outer pair concave, the inner pair thin and flattened. Petals 0 or 4, clawed, white or cream. Nectarial appendage arising from the base of the androphore, lower part tubular, upper part often petaloid and showy. Stamens 4–5; filaments free, sometimes decurrent along the gynophore. Gynophore often exceeding the stamens; ovary cylindrical or spindle-shaped, 1–2-celled, with capitate, sessile or subsessile stigma; ovules several, on 2(–4) placentas. Fruit cylindrical to ellipsoid, sometimes torulose, dehiscent or indehiscent. Seeds reniform, usually embedded in scarlet pulp.