Fls terminal or axillary, perfect to unisexual, regular or nearly so; in heads, spikes or racemes. Calyx tubular (hypanthium ?), imbricately 4-5-lobed (sepals ?); petals (or staminodes ?) 0-12, scale-like; stamens 2-many. Ovary superior, 1-2-celled, stigma capitate; ovule solitary in each cell, pend.; fr. us. ind. and drupaceous. Trees or shrubs with opp. or alt., simple exstipulate lvs. About 40 genera; mainly of Mediterranean, South Africa and Australia.

Shrubs, trees or rarely herbs; bark usually very tough. Lvs opposite or alternate, simple, exstipulate. Infl. a terminal bracteate head, spike or raceme, rarely fls solitary. Fls actinomorphic or nearly so, usually ☿, sometimes unisexual. Calyx with tubular hypanthium, often petaloid, often swollen below, with 4-5 imbricate lobes. Petals 4-12 or 0, scale-like, inserted at mouth of calyx tube or within it. Stamens 1-numerous, usually as many as or twice as many as calyx lobes. Hypogynous disc annular, or of separate scales, or 0. Ovary superior, positioned at base of calyx tube but free from it, 1-2-locular, with 1 ovule to each locule. Fr. usually a drupe or nut, very rarely a capsule.