This document summarizes the characteristics of the coffee family. It describes their habitat as terrestrial or rarely aquatic. Their growth form can be trees, shrubs, herbs, or lianas. Their leaves are simple with entire margins and often in a decussate pattern. Their inflorescences are typically cymes or umbels. Their flowers are usually bisexual, epigynous and 4-5 merous. Their fruits vary and can be berries, capsules, drupes or schizocarps.