Shrubs or small trees, with closely placed, small, coriaceous leaves. Flowers small, in short axillary fascicles, polygamous, often dioecious. Calyx 4-5-lobed, persistent. Corolla 4-5-lobed, rotate. Stamens 4-5, inserted at the base of corolla-lobes; filaments very short to obsolete; anthers short, dithecous. Ovary superior, ovoid-orbicular, 1-locular with several ovules in several rows, on free-central placentae; style very short or obsolete with erect or spreading stigma. Fruit small, globose, subfleshy or dry, often red and smooth, 1-seeded.
About 7 species, mostly tropical and subtropical, represented here by 2 species.
Rapanea Aubl. is said to differ from Myrsine L. by its sessile stigma and anthers, which do not seem adequate differential characters; treated separetely it has over 150 species, while Myrsine (sensu stricto) has only c. 7 species (including our 2 species).
