Herbs or shrubs, monoecious, without stinging hairs. Stipules free,
lateral. Leaves alternate, spirally arranged (in ours), petiolate, entire or serrate. Cystoliths dot-like. Inflorescence of compact, axillary, bisexual clusters. Male flowers pedicellate, 4-5-merous. Female flowers sessile, with an indefinite number of tepals fused into a tube.