Consisting of five genera with about 58 known species,[2] they are distributed over the world's tropical areas, some of them widely distributed in coastal areas, but they occur from sea level to over 2000 m. The family is closely related to the Lauraceae, and many species inhabit laurel forest habitat; they have laurel-like (lauroid) leaves.

Based on morphology, chromosome numbers, geographical distribution, and phylogenetic analyses, the family is clearly divided into two groups that have been given the rank of subfamilies Gyrocarpoideae and Hernandioideae.

At a national level, in some countries with limited economic means, the majority of specimens are poorly determined or undetermined down to species.

Trees of the family Hernandiaceae occur predominantly in the world's laurel forests and cloud forests, which occur in tropical, subtropical, and mild temperate regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, especially in the African, Indian and Pacific Ocean islands, New Caledonia, Madagascar, and central Chile.

A great number of species are in danger of extinction due to overexploitation as medicinal plants, timber extraction and loss of habitat.

Secondary thickening develops from a conventional cambial ring, but included phloem is absent.

[3] The APG IV system (2016) recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Laurales in the clade Magnoliids.

Hernandia Hazomalania Illigera Sparattanthelium Gyrocarpus The Hernandiaceae species inhabit ecosystems with monoecious (rarely dioecious), deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs, and perennial climbing plants.

Others are small nuts or non-fleshy bodies (achenes) provided with hooks or filaments that attach to the fur of animals, or are shaped to float in water or to facilitate transport by wind.

The family originated in the coastal laurel forests of Gondwana, which is the main factor in its pattern of distribution.

Staminodes in exterior to the stamens viable to reproduction (3–5); de sepals are opposite alternating with the inner perianth whorl (oppositisepalous).

[3] The fruit in some species is not fleshy with carpel indehiscent, seem to be with wings or included in a bloomed envelope derived from connate bracteoles.