[4] Two species (M. oppositifolius and M. subulatus) are found in tropical Africa and Madagascar, while all others are found in East Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, eastern Australia, and certain islands of the western Pacific.

[2][5][6][7] The genus has about 150 species of dioecious trees or shrubs.

[8] Mallotus macrofossils have been recovered from the late Zanclean stage of Pliocene sites in Pocapaglia, Italy.

The Kamala tree (Mallotus philippensis) has seed capsules which are the source of a yellow dye (Kamala dye) and were formerly a herbal remedy.

[10] Source:[2] Source:[2] Some species have been moved to other genera, namely: Acalypha Aleurites Blumeodendron Chondrostylis Cleidion Croton Discocleidion Endospermum Hancea Lasiococca Macaranga Melanolepis Neoboutonia Plukenetia Ptychopyxis Rockinghamia Spathiostemon Sumbaviopsis.