Monoecious or dioecious trees or shrubs. Leaves paripinnate; leaflets in 2–5 pairs, petiolate or sometimes almost sessile with lowest pair ± stipuliform; other leaflets large, opposite or alternate, sometimes with translucent dots. Inflorescences paniculate or sometimes ± simply pseudoracemose, terminal or subterminal, always a few flowers of opposite sex in male and female inflorescences. Flowers regular; sepals 5; petals 5, 2–5×as long as sepals; limb narrowly elliptic or lanceolate with a very short claw, scales much shorter than petals and often wider, not adnate, hairy; disk collar- or muff-shaped, funnel-like, often with sinuous margin. Stamens 8, ± as long as petals; filaments ± hairy or glabrous; staminodes 8, shorter than the petals. Ovary globose, 3-locular, each locule 1-ovulate; style thick, simple; rudimentary ovary reduced to a few hairs. Fruit capsular, ± globose, ± 3-angular, woody, loculicidally dehiscent; endocarp coloured, with tuft of fawn hairs at base of valves. Seeds erect, ovoid, smooth, with lobed orange or red arillode.