Trees or shrubs. Stipules absent. Leaves alternate, rarely opposite or whorled, simple or variously divided. Inflorescences axillary, ramiflorous, cauliflorous, or terminal, simple or rarely compound, with flowers borne laterally either in pairs or sometimes singly, racemose, sometimes spicate, paniculate, or condensed into a head; bracts subtending flower pairs usually small, sometimes accrescent and woody; floral bracts usually minute or absent. Flowers bisexual or rarely unisexual and dioecious, actinomorphic or zygomorphic. Perianth segments (3 or)4(or 5), valvate, usually tubular in bud; limb short, variously split at anthesis. Stamens 4, opposite perianth segments; filaments usually adnate to perianth and not distinct; anthers basifixed, usually 2-loculed, longitudinally dehiscent, connective often prolonged. Hypogynous glands 4 (or 1-3 or absent), free or variously connate. Ovary superior, 1-loculed, sessile or stipitate; ovules 1 or 2(or more), pendulous, laterally or basally, rarely subapically attached. Style terminal, simple, often apically clavate; stigma terminal or lateral, mostly small. Fruit a follicle, achene, or drupe or drupaceous. Seeds 1 or 2(or few to many), sometimes winged; endosperm absent (or vestigial); embryo usually straight; cotyledons thin or thick and fleshy; radicle short, inferior.

The family is subdivided into Bellendenoideae, Caranarvonioideae, Eidotheoideae, Grevilleoideae, Persoonioideae, Proteoideae, and Sphalmioideae; all Chinese genera belong to Grevilleoideae. Grevillea robusta is grown extensively as a street tree in S China, especially in Yunnan.

About 80 genera and ca. 1700 species: mostly in tropics and subtropics, especially in S Africa and Australia: three genera (one introduced) and 25 species (12 endemic, two introduced) in China.

(Authors: Qiu Huaxing (邱华兴 Chiu Hua-hsing, Kiu Hua-xing) ; Peter H. Weston)

Kiu hua-shing. 1988. Proteaceae. In: Kiu Hua-shing & Ling Yeou-ruenn, eds., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 24: 6–29.