Comprises a group of 30-50 species of mostly deciduous woody plants growing as shrubs and trees, mostly known as dogwoods; some species are herbaceous perennial plants and a few of the woody species are evergreen. They are in the family Cornaceae, divided into one to nine genera or subgenera (depending on botanical interpretation). Four subgenera are enumerated here. The tree has a heavy bark.

Most species have opposite leaves and a few have alternate. The fruit of all species is a drupe with one or two seeds. Flowers have four parts.

Flower clusters semi-showy, usually white or yellow, in cymes with large showy bracts, fruit red, blue or white: