鼠李科（学名：Rhamnaceae）是一个大科，有58属大约900种，中国有14属，大约130种。本科植物大部分为乔木，也有灌木和藤本植物，偶有草本。

分布在全世界温带和热带地区，在热带和亚热带地区分布最多，最早的鼠李科植物化石见于始新世。

本科植物一般都有刺，单叶，叶脉显着，常互生；花小，雄蕊4-5枚和花瓣对生；有些种类如滨枣 （Paliurus spina-christi）和十字木（ Colletia cruciata）的叶子会演化成刺，尤其是十字木会同时腋生两个芽，一个演化成刺，另一个生成芽叶。

Rhamnaceae is a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs, and some vines, commonly called the buckthorn family.

The family contains 50–60 genera and approximately 870–900 species. Rhamnaceae have a worldwide distribution, but are more common in the subtropical and tropical regions. The earliest fossil evidence of Rhamnaceae is from the Eocene.