Evergreen trees. Leaves subopposite or alternate, or clustered at apex of branchlet, pinninerved. Panicle axillary, pedunculate, bracteate or ebracteate; bracts and bracteoles subulate, minute, caducous. Flowers minute, bisexual, pedicellate, 2-merous. Perianth tube obconical; perianth lobes 4(or 5 or 6), broadly ovate-triangular or transversely oblong, small; perianth wholly deciduous. Fertile stamens 4(or 5 or 6), antitepalous, always exserted, hairy and glandular; filaments short; anthers broadly ovate, dilated, 2-celled or fused into 1 cell; cells introrse. Staminodes 4, minute, linear or lanceolate, densely hairy, enveloping ovary in an arc when in bud. Ovary ovoid-conical, glabrous, attenuate at apex into a style; stigma small. Fruit large, turbinate or oblate or globose; peduncle and pedicel indistinctive when in fruit, all thickened after anthesis.

Plants of Syndiclis have large oily fruits. The oil is edible and is also used in industry.

About ten species: Bhutan, China; nine species (all endemic) in China.

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