Trees, rarely shrubs, unarmed. Leaves alternate, often coriaceous, exstipulate, venation reticulate. Flowers axillary, fascicled, sessile or pedicellate. Calyx 5-lobed. Corolla campanulate, 5-lobed. Stamens 5, perfect, attached to the tube or the base of the corolla lobes or opposite to them, filaments linear, longer than corolla. Anthers ovate or lanceolate. Staminodes 5, ± petaloid. Ovary 5-locular, villous; style short or long, cylindric. Fruit a berry, ovoid or globose 1-5-seeded, seeds- angular, testa hard, coriaceous, shining, albumen fleshy. Embryo straight, horizontal or oblique; endosperm not ruminate.