Trees or shrubs, often stellately pubescent, especially on younger parts Leaves mostly opposite, dentate, rarely entire. Cymes axillary, shorter than leaves, many-flowered. Flowers usually small, red or purple. Calyx very small campanulate with truncate to minutely 4-lobed apex, unaltered in fruit. Corolla small, tubular with 4, short, spreading, subsymmetrical lobes. Stamens 4, usually slightly exserted, inserted above the middle of corolla-tube. Ovary imperfectly 2-celled with 2 ovules in each cell; style linear with dilated, obscurely 2-fid stigma Fruit small drupe, globose, with 4 (or less), 1-seeded pyrenes; seed shortly oblong exalbuminous.