Plants woody lianas or erect to trailing shrubs, with latex. Leaves in whorls of 3 or 4, rarely opposite. Cymes terminal and/or axillary, sometimes in clusters or short thyrses. Flowers small, 5-merous. Calyx deeply divided, without basal glands. Corolla white or rarely yellow, salverform, tube cylindric, widened at stamens insertion, lobes overlapping to left; corona scales absent. Stamens included, inserted at or above middle of corolla tube; filaments very short; anthers free from pistil head; disc absent. Ovaries 2, distinct; ovules biseriate, 4-6 in each ovary. Style filiform; pistil head capitate, apex shortly 2-cleft. Fruit usually paired, moniliform, transversely constricted into 1-5 drupelike articles, or not jointed. Seeds ovate or oblong; endosperm horny, ruminate; cotyledons leaflike, erect or curved.

About 70 species: tropical Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands; 12 species in China.