It is one of the most commonly encountered groups of ascomycetes and is found throughout the temperate and tropical regions of the world.

They are typically found on wood, seeds, fruits, or plant leaves, some even associated with insect nests.

Phylogenetic analyses published in 2009 suggest that there are two main lineages in this family, Hypoxyloideae and Xylarioideae.

A question mark before the genus name indicates that the placement of that taxon in this family is uncertain.

[2] Amphirosellinia — Annulohypoxylon — Anthostomella — Appendixia — Areolospora — ?Ascotricha — Ascovirgaria — Astrocystis — Barrmaelia — Biscogniauxia — Calceomyces — Camillea — Chaenocarpus — Collodiscula — Creosphaeria — Cyanopulvis — Daldinia — Discoxylaria — ?Emarcea — Engleromyces — Entoleuca — Entonaema — Euepixylon — Fasciatispora — Fassia — Gigantospora — Guestia — Halorosellinia — Helicogermslita — Holttumia — Hypocopra — Hypoxylon — Induratia — Jumillera — Kretzschmaria — Kretzschmariella — Leprieuria — ?Leptomassaria — Lopadostoma — Muscodor — Myconeesia — Nemania — Nipicola — Obolarina — Occultitheca — Ophiorosellinia — Pandanicola — Paramphisphaeria — ?Paucithecium — Phylacia — Pidoplitchkoviella — Podosordaria — Poroleprieuria — Poronia — Pyrenomyxa (=Pulveria) — Rhopalostroma — Rosellinia — Sabalicola — Sarcoxylon — ?Sclerodermatopsis — ?Seynesia — Spirodecospora — Stereosphaeria — Stilbohypoxylon — Striatodecospora — Stromatoneurospora — Thamnomyces — Theissenia — Thuemenella — Vivantia — Wawelia — Whalleya — Xylaria — Xylocoremium — Xylotumulus