Plants woody lianas or sometimes low shrubs, latex present. Leaves opposite. Cymes terminal or axillary. Flowers white. Calyx without glands. Corolla salverform; tube cylindric, dilated at staminal insertion; lobes usually oblique-falcate, overlapping to left; corona scales 5 or 10, erect. Stamens inserted at or below middle of corolla tube, included; filaments very short; anthers free from pistil head, base rounded; disc absent. Ovary 2-loculed; ovules numerous. Style short; pistil head apex dilated, 2-cleft. Berry large, pulpy. Seeds numerous; coma absent.

About 50 species: tropical or subtropical Asia and Australia; 12 species in China.