As ornamentals and as the source of the arrow poison curare, used by many lowland South American groups in game hunting and applied in western medicine as a muscle relaxant during surgery. Some fossil wood evidence from the upper Cretaceous and other fossil evidence from the Eocene. Flowers are small and borne on axillary cymes, panicles or solitary clusters. Fruit a drupe or achene with a hard endocarp. Seed is crescent shaped with endosperm present or absent.
Placentation is parietal.
Habit is as herbs, small trees or vines. Stipules are lacking.