Perennial shrubs or trees, often deciduous, sometimes evergreen, unarmed or spiny; stems erect to wide-spreading, often with well developed trunk; young shoots glabrate to tomentose. Lvs distributed along long shoots, sometimes ± in clusters, simple, entire, crenate or 1-2-serrate; stipules free, frequently deciduous. Infl. an umbel, corymb, raceme or cluster, sometimes fls solitary or paired, usually on short shoots and subtended by many imbricate bracts. Fls 5-merous, ☿, often showy, usually preceding lvs in deciduous spp. Hypanthium concave or ± campanulate to cylindric. Epicalyx 0. Sepals very variable in length, deciduous. Petals usually 5 (sometimes many in cvs), usually spreading, occasionally the lower parts appearing to form a ± campanulate tube, white or pink to red. Stamens 15-50. Ovary superior; carpel 1; style 1; ovules 2 but 1 usually aborting. Fr. a drupe with fleshy pericarp enclosing a hard, stony endocarp; seed usually 1.