Fls in axillary or occ. terminal cymes, solitary fls us. also present; peduncles and pedicels ebracteate. Calyx ± campanulate to cupular, 5-fid, occ. with minute accessory teeth; petals us. 5, oblique, clawed, us. notched towards apex. Staminal column split above into a number of filaments, these us. arranged in 5 bundles; style branches as many as carpels; stigmas capitate, sts obliquely so, or decurrent along branch. Carpels 5-15, 1-ovuled, surrounding and separating from a central axis; distinctly to obscurely or not winged. Shrubs or trees with heteroblastic development and sparse to dense indumentum of stellate hairs, especially on young parts; lvs alt., simple, exstipulate. Endemic to N.Z. Type sp. H. populnea. Reticulate bast fibres well developed and forming a thick layer.

Hooker (Fl. N.Z. 1, 1852, 30-31) recognized two subgenera: 1. EUHOHERIA-Carpels and styles 5, the former winged at the back. 2. APTEROCARPA-Carpels and styles 10, the former not winged. Subsequent study has shown that the differences are not so clear-cut as Hooker thought. Sprague and Summerhayes (Kew Bull. 1926, 214-220) treat Hooker's subgenera as sections, and amend the descriptions: Sect. Euhoheria-"Folia argute dentata vel serrata. Carpella 5 vel 6-7; stigmata capitata. Fructus proprii conspicue alati." Sect. Apterocarpa-"Folia crenata vel crenato-serrata. Carpella 10-15; stigmata oblique capitata vel introrse decurrentia. Fructus proprii inconspicue alati vel exalati."