The family is distributed mostly in Australia, except for the genus Scaevola, which is pantropical.

Flowers have a single plane of symmetry (monosymmetric; Brunonia being the sole exception), and are either fan-like (e.g., Scaevola) or bilabiate (as in Dampiera).

Corolla lobes often have two thin marginal wings, which also occur in other families of Asterales such as the Menyanthaceae and Argophyllaceae.

The style bears a pollen-cup, also known as an indusium, at the tip, a unique character for the family.

The indusium has a function in secondary pollen presentation, a phenomenon also occurring in the related families Asteraceae and Campanulaceae.