The best-known species is Illicium verum, commonly known as star anise.

The order belongs to the group of basal angiosperms, the ANA grade (Amborellales, Nymphaeales, and Austrobaileyales), which diverged earlier from the remaining flowering plants.

Austrobaileyales is sister to all remaining extant angiosperms outside the ANA grade.

The APG II system, of 2003, does accept this order and places it among the basal angiosperms, that is: it does not belong to any further clade.

Amborella Nymphaeales Austrobaileyales magnoliids Chloranthales monocots Ceratophyllum eudicots Austrobaileyaceae Schisandraceae Trimeniaceae