Trees or shrubs, usually with bitter bark. Leaves usually alternate or rarely opposite, often pinnate rarely simple, exstipulate or stipules deciduous and minute. Inflorescence axillary, racemose, paniculate or cymose, sometimes spicate. Flowers uni- or bisexual or functionally bisexual, small, actinomorphic, bracteolate. Calyx 3-5-lobed or parted, valvate or imbricate. Petals free, 3-6, rarely absent, valvate or imbricate, hypogynous. Disc of various shapes, annular, cupular, elongated, entire or lobed, rarely absent. Stamens inserted at the base of the disc, as many as petals, often provided with a scale at the base of the filament. Carpels (1-) 2-5 (-7), free or connate with free or connate styles and or stigmas; ovules 1-2, axile, anatropous or amphitropous. Fruit drupaceous, capsular or samaroid; when carpels free as many, 1-(or rarely 2-) -seeded fruits, as carpels or less. when carpels connate fruit 2-5-celled with 1 seed per cell.