Evergreen shrubs or small trees. Leaves simple, alternate, large, serrate or entire, shortly petiolate; stipules deciduous or persistent, sometimes united with petiole. Inflorescence a many-flowered, terminal panicle. Flowers bisexual, white or yellowish. Receptacle (hypanthium) cup-shaped or obconical; sepals 5, persistent in fruit; petals 5, obovate or orbicular; stamens usually 20; carpels 2–5, fused, enclosed in and united to receptacle, walls membranous in fruit, ovules 2 per carpel. Fruit an ellipsoid to subglobose fleshy pome, yellow, dull orange-yellow, or red (not in Victoria); seeds 1–3.
15–30 species from eastern Asia; 1 naturalised in Australia.
