Plants trees, shrubs, lianas, or perennial herbs, rarely with thorns (Rochefortia); indumentum variable, hirsute to glabrescent. Leaves alternate, entire, petiolate; blades variable in shape, strongly dissected in the halophytic Cortesia. Inflorescences terminal or axillary thyrses, sometimes congested, or few-flowered corymbs (Keraunea). Flowers 5-merous, bisexual or unisexual and dioecious in Lepidocordia sometimes inserted on the centre of an accrescent bracteole (Keraunea); calyx lobes united in a tube or distinct nearly to the base, tubular to campanulate; aestivation imbricate (mostly quincuncial); corollas united, usually tubular with spreading lobes, rotate, or campanulate to urceolate, white, red or blue (Halgania, some species of Bourreria ); stamens 5, filaments usually adnate to the corolla tube at least at the base, sometimes puberulent at the point of insertion, anthers usually exerted; gynoecia bicarpellate, ovaries uni- to tetralocular from secondary subdivision, styles terminal, stigmas clavate to capitate with 1(2) branches; nectar disc usually present at base of the ovaries. Fruits drupaceous, often drying and separating into two two-seeded pyrenes, or 4 1-seeded pyrenes or schizocarps, or 4 nutlets.
Ehretiaceae are broadly distributed, growing throughout tropical and subtropical Asia, Australia, sub-Saharan Africa. The family includes 8 genera: Bourreria, Cortesia, Ehrhetia, Halgania, Keraunea, Lepicordia, Rochefortia, and Tiquilia.