A family of tropical and subtropical trees and shrubs. Members may be recognised by their alternate compound pinnate exstipulate leaves with conduplicate ± opposite leaflets. Only Turraea in West Africa has unifoliate leaves, while Melia has bi- to tripinnate ones. The buds are either naked or protected by scales. Slash and wood are strongly scented and generally reddish. Lax, axillary, often large, panicle-like cymes of small, pale, scented flowers with a staminal tube are followed by capsules in most genera.

Decorative introduced species include Persian lilac (Melia azedarach) from India.

Turraea spp. are climbers in open situations in moist forest, are the only West African species of unusual habit.

Flowers ⊕, ♂ and ♀ on the same or different plants, but in Turraea, polygamous in Azadirachta and Melia; mostly 5-part, 4-part in Lovoa, where the sepals are orthogonal and the petals diagonal. K(5) small. C5 (C(5) in Turreanthus). A(8) or (10), joined only basally in most Trichilia spp., Pseudocedrela and Entandrophragma candollei, A5 in Cedrela and Toona; in these 2 genera there is an adrogynophore bearing petals, stamens and pistil; anthers are borne on or within the rim of the staminal tube. G(5) 5-celled, rarely with more cells (Turraea) or fewer (G(3) 3-celled in Trichilia, 1-celled in Heckledora), with 2 to many ovules per cell on axile placentae (2 parietal ovules in Heckeldora).

Pollination The flowers are scented and an intrastaminal disc is present in all except Turreanthus.