Habit: Herbs, shrubs, or trees
Leaves: Alternate (rarely opposite or whorled), simple, stipules present or absent, pungent oils, winged petioles sheathing the jointed stem.
Monoecious, dioecious, synoecious
Inflorescence: spike, fleshy axis
Flowers: very reduced, perfect or imperfect, subtended by bractlets
Carpels: 2-5, connate, oary superior, 1 locule, 1 basal ovule, stigmas 2-5
Fruit: drupe or drupelet, often sunk into the axis or fused with the bracts