Large shrubs with long, pendent or scandent branches, stems often twining to the left, young branches slightly tomentose or glabrous, without spines; leaves shortly petioled, opposite or alternate, oblong-obovate, entire; flowers poygamo-dioecious, often in dense panicles or reacemes; bracts-bracteoles small; calyx-tube constricted above the ovary, funnel shaped or tubular, limb 4-5 lobed, deciduous; petals as many as the sepals, elliptic, obtuse, rounded at the apex; stamens 8-10, inserted in two series; ovary inferior, 1-celled, style 1, subulate, stigma simple; ovules 2-5, pendent from the top of the cell; fruit dark brown, dry, coriaceous, 4-5 winged, angled or ridged, dry, usually indehisent, 1-seeded.