Plants small trees or shrubs, not clonal, usually spiny; spines simple or compound. Leaves simple, usually persistent; stipules minute; petioles not glandular; blades entire to serrate or crenate. Inflorescences short, axillary or terminal clusters, pistillate flowers sometimes solitary. Flowers unisexual and/or bisexual; sepals 4-7; petals lacking; stamens 15-30, filaments distinct, surrounded by a lobed, glandular disk; ovary (2-)5-7(-10)-celled, cells often incompletely divided; placentation axile; styles as many as the cells, free or united at the base, stigmatic region capitate or truncate. Fruits fleshy with 4-16 seeds.
Flacourtia includes 10 (?15) species. It is native to the old world tropics. Flacourtia indica has been introduced to the Americas.