Aromatic glabrous trees. Leaves simple, gland-dotted, alternate, without stipules. Inflorescences axillary or axillary and terminal, cymose; bracts three, persistent. Flowers regular, hermaphrodite. Sepals 4–5, free, rather thick, imbricate. Petals 4–12, free or connate, thin, imbricate or wanting. Stamens hypogynous, up to 20; filaments united into a tube; anthers extrorse, adnate to the upper part of the tube. Ovary superior, 1–locular; ovules 2–many, subanatropous; placentation parietal, placentae 2–5. Style thick and short; stigmas 2–5. Fruit a berry. Seeds 2–many, shining, with oily and fleshy endosperm.