Trees, shrubs, or rarely herbs; leaves usually opposite, simple, usually entire, pinnately nerved or rarely 3-nerved, mostly pellucid-glandular; stipules none; flowers bisexual (very rarely otherwise), regular, solitary or in inflorescences; calyx tubular and 4-5-lobed or -toothed; or entire; petals free, 4 or 5, alternate with sepals, rarely absent; sometimes connate to form a caducous calyptra; stamens many, free or connate in bundles; anthers small; ovary inferior or half-inferior, with disc, 1-celled, with 1-more ovules, or 2-many-celled with many ovules; placentae axile; fruit a berry, drupe, nut, or capsule, 1-celled or 2-many-celled, 1-seeded or many-seeded; seeds without endosperm. Nearly 100 genera in both tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres; more than 2800 species. Seven genera reported for Guam, of which three are indigenous.