Leaves are simple, alternate and entire, or toothed near the apex.
Male and female flowers of this family usually occur on separate plants. The male flowers are small, apetalous, and clustered in elongated catkins. The tiny, inconspicuous, female flowers are clustered in groups of 2 to 4. The fruits are small and rounded, covered with numerous irregular projections and a conspicuous waxy covering. These adaptable plants are often used for erosion control to hold the soil and enrich it by fixing nitrogen through nodules on the roots.