Plants trees, shrubs, or woody climbers; indumentum of simple hairs and/or peltate scales. Leaves usually opposite or whorled. Flowers bisexual, 4-5-merous, in spikes or panicles; hypanthia sometimes constricted below, upper portion varying from almost flat to funnel-shaped; petals longer of shorter than the calyx lobes; disc often present; styles free. Fruits 4-5-winged or angled.
Combretum includes about 200 species and grows throughut the tropics, often extending into the subtropis. As treated in OpenHerbarium, it includes species formerly placed in Quisqualis.