Usually arborescent, stout (and mostly unbranched) to slender, some-times scandent and shrubby; usually monoecious, occasionally dioecious or bisexual. Leaves usually in terminal crowns, often very large, pinnate or palmate; leaflets narrow. Inflorescence usually paniculate, below or amongst leaves; spathes one or more, usually large. Flowers small, actionomorphic, ± sessile, commonly unisexual, ♂ and ♀ sometimes in one inflorescence; sepals 3, free or connate; petals 3, free or connate. Stamens usually 6 in 2 whorls; anthers 2 celled, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 1-3-celled or 3 carpels separate; ovule usually solitary. Fruit a berry or drupe. Over 200 genera and c. 2500 spp., mainly of tropics and subtropics.

Infl. us. paniculate, below or amongst lvs; spathes one or more, us. large. Fls small, actinomorphic, ± sessile, commonly but not always unisexual, ♂ and ♀ sts in one infl. Per.-segs 6, free or connate, outer sepaloid, inner petaloid. Stamens us. 6 in 2 whorls; anthers 2-celled, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, 1–3-celled or 3 carpels separate; ovule us. solitary. Fr. a berry or drupe. Stems woody, stout (then mostly unbranched) to slender, sts scandent, sts very short and hidden. Lvs us. in terminal clusters, often very large and divided into narrow segs. Over 200 genera and c. 4,000 spp., mainly of tropics and subtropics.