[3] It has a disjunct distribution, with most species native to eastern Asia and several in parts of North America, including the southeastern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

[6] These are plants of moist understory, adapted to shady habitat, and some species are so sensitive to light that too much sunlight causes them significant stress, manifesting in chlorosis and necrosis of the leaves.

[7] Several species are cultivated as ornamental plants for their flowers, foliage, and fragrance, leading to the development of several cultivars.

Its fruit is a traditional Chinese medicine called bājiǎo huíxiāng (八角茴香), which is used to treat abdominal pain and vomiting.

Many of the currently recognized species lack distinguishing characters, and treatments tend to list many synonyms.