The group may be treated as an unranked clade,[1] a division under the name Euphyllophyta[2] or a subdivision under the name Euphyllophytina.

[3] The euphyllophytes are characterized by the possession of true leaves ("megaphylls"), and comprise one of two major lineages of extant vascular plants.

Unlike the lycopodiophytes, which consist of relatively few presently living or extant taxa, the euphyllophytes comprise the vast majority of vascular plant lineages that have evolved since both groups shared a common ancestor more than 400 million years ago.

[4] The division of the extant tracheophytes into three monophyletic lineages is supported in multiple molecular studies.

[4][5][6] Other researchers argue that phylogenies based solely on molecular data without the inclusion of carefully evaluated fossil data based on whole plant reconstructions, do not necessarily completely and accurately resolve the evolutionary history of groups like the euphyllophytes.