Trees or shrubs, glabrous or with simple hairs. Petiole short; leaf blade usually leathery to thinly leathery, shiny. Inflorescences internodal, leaf-opposed, rarely extra-axillary or axillary, 1-flowered or flowers to 12 forming clusters. Flowers bisexual. Torus cylindric to hemispheric, hairy. Sepals 3, much smaller than petals, valvate in bud. Petals 6, in 2 whorls, basally saccate, apically recurved and valvate in bud; outer petals spreading, ± as long as inner petals but slightly wider. Stamens many, in several series; connectives produced but not concealing dorsal anther locules, apex apiculate. Carpels 1-8(-15), free; ovules 4-24 per carpel, in 2 series; styles cylindric, short; stigmas inconspicuously capitate, with a slit down inner side. Fruit apocarpous; monocarp stipes with thick walls or almost absent; monocarps few, globose or cylindric, succulent or woody, glabrous, tomentose, or verrucose. Seeds several per monocarp, not separating from fruit wall.

About 23 species: S and SE Asia; six species (four endemic) in China.

(Authors: Li Bingtao (李秉滔 Li Ping-tao); Michael G. Gilbert)