Species assigned to the Crossosomatales have in common flowers that are positioned solitarily, with the base of the calyx, corolla, and stamens fused into a tube-shaped floral cup, sepals overlapping, the outermost smaller than the inner.

Insides of the casings of pollen grains have horizontally extended thin regions (or endo-apertures).

The gynoecium is placed on a short stalk, papillae on the stigma consist of two or more cells, ovary locules taper upwards, and the protective cell layer (or integument) surrounding the ovule leaves a zigzag opening (or micropyle).

[2] The relationships between orders within the Malvid clade, according to the APG system, is represented by the following tree.

[4] Strasburgeriaceae Geissolomataceae Aphloiaceae Staphyleaceae Guamatelaceae Stachyuraceae Crossosomataceae