Evergreen shrubs or trees. Leaves opposite to subopposite, exstipulate, petiolate, simple, entire to spinulose-dentate. Inflorescence a terminal, lax raceme, flowers rarely solitary, with 1–3 entire bracteoles or one 3-fid bracteole. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, perigynous to epigynous, fragrant; sepals 4, small, fused, persistent; petals 4, valvate in bud, free but sometimes cohering, deciduous, hairy; stamens 4, alternipetalous, free, filaments flattened, hairy; anthers introrse, linear, basifixed; intrastaminal nectar disk present; ovary of 2 united carpels, partly to completely inferior, 1-locular (appearing 2-locular due to intruding placentation), placentation parietal, ovules numerous; style simple, filiform, stigma weakly bilobed. Fruit a drupe. Seed single, large, with thick, smooth testa, endosperm abundant, embryo small.