桃金娘科植物主要产于澳洲和美洲的热带和亚热带地区，有100属约3000种，中国原产有8属，引种了5属，共有136种。

常绿灌木或乔木；叶子对生或互生，单叶，多全缘，有透明的油腺斑点，没有托叶；花两性，辐射对称，萼片和花瓣常各4－5枚，虽然花朵纤细，但植株却能长的高大，而它们共同的特征是雄蕊多如睫毛、分离或成数束，花丝细长柔，子房常下位，一至多室，有少数至多数胚珠；果实多为浆果或蒴果。

她们的生命力坚强，**、广东、广西以及印度的气候适合其生长。桃金娘科植物精油的特性是具有抗病毒、杀菌、帮助呼吸道系统、消炎的疗效。它们针对关结炎、风湿痛、咳嗽和伤寒具有特殊的功效。本科植物重要的有桃金娘、番石榴、桉树、莲雾、蒲桃、千层树等。

Myrtaceae is the myrtle family, a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pohutukawa, the bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus all are members of this group. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five. One notable character of the family is that the phloem is located on both sides of the xylem, not just outside as in most other plants. The leaves are evergreen, alternate to mostly opposite, simple, and usually with an entire (not toothed) margin. The flowers have a base number of five petals, though in several genera the petals are minute or absent. The stamens are usually very conspicuous, brightly coloured and numerous.