Myrsinaceae species are mostly trees or shrubs; a few are vine-like. They have undivided, evergreen leaves, lacking any edge teeth or stipules. Stems, leaves and flowers are often glandular, dotted with small resin pits or lines. Flowers are produced singly at the tip of the stem and the leaf nodes; they are radially symmetric, usually with five, six or seven sepals, the same number of petals, the same number of stamens and a single style, with a head-like stigma. Petals are overlapping. Some classifications include myrsinaceae species in the primulaceae family.