Shrubs and small trees, unarmed, terrestrial, without raphides in ther tissues, sometimes resinous, sometimes with arachnoid pubescence. Leaves opposite, subsessile to petiolate, entire, usually with sericeous or arachnoid pubescence, wiith tertiary and quaternary venation lineolate, sometimes with domatia; stipules interpetiolar, ligulate to ovate, generally held erect and flatly pressed together in bud, deciduous. Inflorescences terminal sometimes displaced to pseudoaxillary, fasciculate to cymose with axes often monochasial, 1--multiflowered, subsessile to pedunculate, bracteate or bracts reduced. Flowers subsessile, bisexual, distylous, protandrous, medium to large, at least sometimes fragrant, diurnal or perhaps noctural; hypanthium elipsoid to cylindrical; calyx limb developed, truncate to spathaceous or 4--5-lobed, without calycophylls; corolla salverform, white to pink or red, externally often sericeous, internally glabrous, lobes 4--5, triangular, valvate in bud, on tip and sometimes margins with lobulate, petaloid appendages or infrequently wings; stamens 4--5, inserted in corolla tube, anthers narrowly oblong, dorsifixed near base, opening by longitudinal slits, included or partially exserted, without appendages; ovary 2-locular, ovules numerous in each locule, imbricated and ascending on axile placentas, stigmas 2, linear, included. Fruit capsular, cylindrical, septicidally dehiscent from apex, chartaceous to woody, smooth, with calyx limb persistent or tardily deciduous, with valves 2(4), often pesistent and twisted; seeds numerous, flattened, small, fusiform, marginally winged and entire, obtuse to acute at ends.