Small soft-wooded trees or shrubs, occasionally herbs, mostly dioecious, sometimes monoecious, andromonoecious, or ☿; sap milky. Lvs alternate, usually in terminal clusters, often palmately lobed or compound, exstipulate. Fls axillary, regular, in racemes or cymose corymbs, sometimes solitary. ♂ fls: calyx 5-lobed or toothed, small; corolla gamopetalous, forming a tube; lobes contorted or valvate; stamens 5-10, epipetalous, sessile, in 2 rows; pistil rudimentary or 0. ♀ fls: solitary or few together; calyx as in ♂; corolla at first connivent at base, later free; staminodes 0; ovary superior, sessile, 1-locular or appearing 5-locular by invagination; placentas parietal; ovules numerous; stigmas 5, sessile or nearly so, fimbriate or flabellate, sometimes appearing petaloid. ☿ fls (if present): corolla tube very short; stamens 5, attached to ovary base by long filaments. Fr. a fleshy berry, sometimes very large. Seed numerous, endospermic.