黄眼草科包括5属约270种，分布在全球热带和亚热带地区，中国只有1属7种。

本科植物为一年生或多年生草本植物，叶基生，线形，基部有鞘；花两性，稍两侧对称；花萼和花冠3裂；果实为蒴果，3瓣裂。种子极少。

1981年的克朗奎斯特分类法将其列入鸭跖草目，1998年根据基因亲缘关系分类的APG 分类法将其分为两科—黄眼草科和阿波波达草科，将生长在南美洲的阿波波达草属植物单独列为一个科，没有放入任何一目中，黄眼草科放到禾本目中。2003年经过修订的APG II 分类法将这两个科仍然合并为一个科。

The Xyridaceae are a family of flowering plants. The botanical name has been recognized by many taxonomists and is known as the yellow-eyed grass family.

The APG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system of 1998), also recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Poales in the clade commelinids, in the monocots. This treatment in APG II represents a slight change from the APG system of 1998, which had recognized the family Abolbodaceae for some of the plants included here; that family was unplaced as to order, but was assigned to this same clade (although APG used the spelling "commelinoids").