Trees evergreen, small. Leaves alternate; leaf blade leathery, pinninerved. Flowers unisexual, in pedunculate umbels enveloped by 4 decussate involucral bracts before anthesis, axillary, always in pairs, usually 1 or 3 in cluster on short raceme. Perianth tube short; perianth lobes 4, subequal. Male flowers: stamens 8-14, usually 12, in 3 whorls; filaments of 1st whorl eglandular, but those of 2nd or 3rd whorls each with 2 reniform glands at middle part; anthers 2-celled, cells introrse; ovary infertile. Female flowers: staminodes 4, alternate to perianth lobes; filaments each with 2 sessile glands and a lanceolate ligule between glands at apex; ovary 1-celled; style short; stigma slightly dilated, obtusely trigonous, 1-ovuled. Fruit ovoid; perianth tube not or slightly dilated, ruptured or not.

Two species: Macaronesian islands, Mediterranean region; one species (introduced) in China.

(Authors: Li Xiwen (李锡文 Li Hsi-wen), Li Jie (李捷); Henk van der Werff)