Plants herbs, shrubs and trees, often bearing spines at varying distances above the subtending leaves. Stems often jointed at the nodes. Leaves usually opposite or alternate, pinnately compound, 1-3-foliate, or simple, sometimes reduced to simple, minute scale-leaves; stipules usually present, persistent or caducous, sometimes spinescent, rarely absent; leaflets flat and thin to fleshy and thick or terete. Inflorescences of solitary or paired flowers or cymose clusters. Flowers bisexual, usally radially symmetric, rarely bilaterally symmetric. Sepals (4-5)6, free or united at the base, imbricate or valvate. Petals as many as the sepals, free, clawed, usually twisted in bud. Stamens once or twice as many as the petals; filaments free, sometimes with basal scales; anthers introrse, 2-thecous. Ovary superior, on a glandular disk, 4-5 celled, with axial indehiscent mericarps; style 1. Fruits 1-seeded drupes, indehiscent or splitting apically, with a leatherry or crisp and brittle exocarp, fleshy. Seeds with or without endosperm, pendulous, embryo straight or slightly curved.
The above description has been modified to include the Balanitaceae which is now included in Zygophyllaceae.