Stems stout or slender, sometimes climbing, sometimes obsolete, often covered by the persistent leaf-bases; leaves in a terminal cluster (or in the viny species scattered), sometimes very large, entire or pinnately or palmately divided, the segments (leaflets) induplicately or reduplicately folded in bud; rachis often expanded at base into a sheath; flowers small, regular, perfect, or dioecious, sometimes polygamous, usually in a panicle subtended by a spathe; sepals 3; petals 3; stamens usually 6, rarely more; ovary superior. 1-3-celled or rarely 4-7-celled, or of 3 separate carpels; ovule solitary in each cell; fruit a berry or drupe. Perhaps 150 genera and 1500 species, chiefly tropical.