Shrubs or trees, rarely herbs, generally aromatic. Leaves opposite, usually toothed, petioles often connate at the base; stipules small, subulate. Flowers small, unisexual, in terminal or axillary spikes or panicles. Perianth wanting (rarely present in the female flowers). Stamens either 1 or 3 connate; filaments shore and thick; anthers 2-celled, or when there are 3 the lateral 1-celled. Ovary 1-celled; stigma either sessile or style very short; ovule solitary, orthotropous, pendulous from the top of the cell. Fruit a small globose or ovoid drupe. Seed pendulous; testa membranous; albumen copious, fleshy; embryo minute, remote from the hilum, radicle inferior.

A small and unimportant order, comprising 3 genera and 25 species, mostly tropical or subtropical.