Plants unarmed trees, unisexual (species dioecious). Leaves without stipules; blades opposite, simple, entire, pinnately-veined, lower surfaces tomentose with white, curly hairs.Inflorescences short cymes or clusters. Flowers small, radially symmetric; nectary discs not present; petals not present; male flowers: sepals with 3-4 toching, not overlapping. bases slightly united; stamens (6-)9-12; filaments very short, free; anthers erect, connectives apiculate.; female flowers; sepals 3-4, slightly imbricate, enlarging and persistent in fruit; ovaries superior,usually 1, rarely 2-3 with slightly united bases, subsessile, each with 1 pendent ovule; style single, linear, the stigmatic surface covering most of the length. Fruits dry, indehiscent, compressed ellipsoidak with atute tips and thin walls, enclosed by the enlarged, membranous sepals with veined wings.
Barbeyaceae includes only one species Barbeya oleoides, and is restricted to northeastern tropical Afric and the Arabian Peninsula. It is know from regions N1-3 of the the Flora of Somalia and adjacent parts of the Arabian peninsula.