It is native to Mexico, Belize, the West Indies, and the southeastern United States.

In 2005, on the basis of both molecular phylogenetic and morphological evidence, it was proposed that they should be placed in a separate genus.

However, this name had already been published in 1808 by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque for a genus in the family Polygonaceae, so Elliott's name is an illegitimate later homonym.

This too has been treated as an illegitimate later homonym, as Thomas Nuttall had published Macbridea in the same year for a genus in the family Lamiaceae, ascribing the name to Elliott.

In 1828, Ludwig Reichenbach published Seutera as a replacement name for Elliott's Lyonia, unaware of Rafinesque's Macbridea.