Description: Shrubs or small trees.
Leaves mostly alternate, simple, margins entire or toothed, glabrous or rusty-hairy. Conflorescences axillary or ramiflorous, dense, raceme-like; flowers in pairs, bracts subtending flowers minute.
Flowers actinomorphic. Perianth tubular; tepals revolute at anthesis. Anthers sessile, inserted just below limb; connective with a short appendage. Hypogynous glands 4, free or fused into a ring. Ovary sessile; ovules 2, attached on the side or near the base of the ovary; style slender, often persistent in fruit, pollen presenter only slightly thickened.
Fruit indehiscent, fleshy, dark blue in Australia species, usually 1-seeded.
Distribution and occurrence: World: c. 90 species, Asia, Malesia & Australia. Australia: 8 species, Qld, N.S.W., N.T.
Text by G. J. Harden
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Leaves and conflorescences more or less glabrous, young branchlets sparsely rusty-hairy, glabrescent with age | Helicia glabriflora |
| Lower surface of leaves, especially main veins, conflorescences and branchlets rusty-hairy | Helicia ferruginea |
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