Evergreen shrubs or small trees. Leaves opposite on rarely 3-whorled, generally glabrous and coriaceous; stipules interpetiolar. Inflorescence terminal on leafless lateral shoots or sometimes cauliflorous corymbose cymes, trichotomously branched. Flowers generally pedicellate, bracteate and 2 bracteolate, 4-merous, very rarely pentamerous, generally white, red or pink, mostly fragrant. Calyx-tube ovoid, lobes short, 4(-5), persistent. Corolla salver-shaped; tube long, very slender, terete, always longer than lobes, throat naked or bearded; lobes 4-(5), spreading, twisted in bud. Stamens 4(-5), inserted on throat or mouth of the corolla; filaments very short or absent. Disc thick or swollen. Ovary 2-locular; style filiform, branches 2, shortly exserted, diverging or recurved, rarely persistently connate. Ovules solitary, peltately attached to the septum in each locule. Fruit drupaceous, globose or didymous with persistent calyx, pyrenes 2, coriaceous. Seeds peltate, testa membranous, albumen hard.