This genus occurs in China, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Caledonia and the Pacific Islands.

There are colleters (groups or tufts of mucilaginous secretory hairs) present in the leaf axils.

[3][full citation needed] Dysentery bush (A. buxifolia) is used in herbalism and was made into a patented remedy by Albert Aspinall.

Maile also provides food for Thyrocopa caterpillars and weevils of the genus Proterhinus.

The following is a list of Alyxia species accepted by Plants of the World Online as at September 2021:[4]