As previously circumscribed, the family consisted of eight genera and 95 species of trees or shrubs, native to tropical regions of the Americas.

[4] The remaining genera (Theophrastaceae s.s.) are generally evergreen shrubs or small trees, with hypogynous flowers.

[7] Jussieu arranged Linnaeus' genera in a hierarchical system of ranks based on the relative value of a much wider range of characteristics.

Subsequent molecular phylogenetic analysis showed that the genus Samolus (brook weeds),[4] with about 12–15 additional species and traditionally placed within Primulaceae, as tribe Samoleae, was more closely related to the Theophrastaceae and suggested its transfer.

Alternatively these two subclasses have been designated as two tribes, Samoleae and Theophrasteae:[13] Samolus L. Theophrasta L. Neomezia Votsch Clavija Ruiz & Pav.

Molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that Jacquinia was still paraphyletic consisting of two separate and distinct clades, necessitating splitting off another new genus, Bonellia, to make seven genera in total in this tribe.

The species of Theophrasteae are largely neotropical, confined to Mesoamerica, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

[22] Unlike much of the traditional Theophrastoideae, Samolus is found in either flooded areas around rivers and lakes, or in salt marshes.