Schisandraceae is the botanical name of a family of flowering plants. Such a family has been recognized by most taxonomists, at least for the past several decades. Before that, the plants concerned were assigned to family Magnoliaceae.
The APG II system, of 2003, also recognizes such a family. It places the family in order Austrobaileyales, which in turn is accepted as being among the most basic lineages in the clade angiosperms. APG II assumes this to be a family of three genera, Schisandraceae sensu lato. This family consists of woody plants, containing essential oils.
However, APG II does allow the option of segregating the genus Illicium as the family Illiciaceae. This leaves only two genera in the family Schisandraceae sensu stricto, consisting of Schisandra and Kadsura, totalling several dozen species, which are found in tropical to temperate regions of East and Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.
The APG system, of 1998, recognized both the families Schisandraceae sensu stricto and Illiciaceae, unplaced as to order. It regarded both families as being among the most basic lineages in the clade angiosperms.
The Cronquist system, of 1981, treated the plants in the family (in its wider sense) as two separate families, which together constituted
- the order Illiciales,
- in subclass Magnoliidae,
- in class Magnoliopsida ,
- of division Magnoliophyta .
- in class Magnoliopsida ,
- in subclass Magnoliidae,