Leaf blades are somewhat leathery, with pinnate venation (with a midrib and pairs of veins branching off on either side) and entire (not toothed) margins.

[2][3] The APG IV system of 2016 places this family in the order Magnoliales under the clade magnoliids,[5] where it has been through the history of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group.

The Angiosperm Phylogeny Website also considers Eupomatiaceae a sister group of the family Annonaceae in the terminal clade in the order's evolution.

[6] Canellales Piperales Myristicaceae Magnoliaceae Degeneriaceae Himantandraceae Eupomatiaceae Annonaceae Laurales As of 9 November 2023[update], Eupomatia contains the following three species.

The staminodes secrete an oily exudate and emit a fruity smell that attracts beetles, particularly of the genus Elleschodes (Curculionidae), that visit the flowers in both phases, in addition the synandria fall to the ground (cantharophily pollination).

Plants contain unusual lignans and alkaloids (sampangine, eupolauridine, eupomatidine-1, liriodenine and lanuginosine, antimicrobials and antifungals) such as proanthocyanidins, cyanidin and flavonoids, in particular velutin.