Vochysiaceae is a family of evergreen flowering plants, which includes trees, shrubs, lianas, and rarely herbs. The family includes about 200 species in 7 genera. Six of the seven genera are native to the Neotropic, including Central America, the West Indies, and tropical South America. The monospecific genus Erismadelphus is native to West Africa.
The family likely originated in South America. Erismadelphus is thought to have diverged from Erisma approximately 30 million years ago, and travelled to Africa as the result of long-distance dispersal, perhaps by floating seeds.
