Unarmed shrubs or trees. Stipules free, caducous. Leaves alternate. Inflorescence a dichasial cyme. Flowers bisexual. Sepals 5, united at base. Petals 5. Disk intrastaminal. Ovary superior, 2-3-locular. Fruit an indehiscent fleshy drupe. Seed 1, without an aril.
Derivation of name: from Greek: mystron meaning a spoon and xylon meaning wood, a translation of the vernacular name spoonwood