木通科包括8-9属约30-50种植物，主要分布在亚洲东部，从喜马拉雅山区到日本一带，有两属原生于南美洲智利和阿根廷一带。中国有6-7属40余种，主要分布在长江以南各省。

本科植物主要为木质藤本，也有直立的灌木，叶互生，主要为掌状复叶，也有羽状复叶，有托叶；花辐射对称，单性，花瓣6，雄蕊6，果实为肉质的蓇葖果或浆果，沿腹缝开裂或不裂。

木通科的木通(古称三叶木通)、毛茛科的川木通和马兜铃科的关木通都统称为木通。关木通，而据考证，“此木通非彼木通”。如今市场常见、临床常用的关木通与《神农本草经》等古籍中所记载的木通虽同名为“木通”，但并非一物。关木通属马兜铃科，其所含马兜铃酸经研究证明可能引起人体肾脏损害，属“有毒”类中药(《中国药典》将有毒性的中药分为小毒、有毒和大毒三种)。而《神农本草经》中所记载的木通为木通科的木通，其性无毒。 内容扩充 木通的整形修剪方法

Lardizabalaceae is a family of flowering plants.

The family has been universally recognized by taxonomists, including the APG II system (2003; unchanged from the APG system of 1998), which places it in the order Ranunculales, in the clade eudicots.

The family consist of 8-9 genera with 30-50 species of woody plants. All are lianas, save Decaisnea, which are pachycaul shrubs. The leaves are alternate, and compound (usually palmate), with pulvinate leaflets. The flowers are often in drooping racemes.