山龙眼科包括80属，约2000余种，主要分布在南半球，大部分种类在澳洲和南非，此外在南美洲和东南亚有少数种类，中国原产的有山龙眼属和假山龙眼属2属共21种，分布在南方。

本科植物多为灌木或乔木，稀为多年生草本；单叶互生、稀对生或轮生，常革质，无托叶；花两性，稀单性，通常左右对称，稀为辐射对称，无花瓣；花萼为花瓣状，4基数，具有颜色，花小，但花序明显，有特异化的很特殊的传粉机制；果实为坚果、核果、蒴果或蓇葖果。各品种适应分化的非常严重，因此有时很难通过共性确定其科属，但各属之间还是有明显的区别。

The Proteaceae /ˌproʊtiˈeɪsiː/ are a family of flowering plants predominantly distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises about 80 genera with about 1,600 species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae, they make up the order Proteales. Well-known genera include Protea, Banksia, Embothrium, Grevillea, Hakea, Dryandra, and Macadamia. Species such as the New South Wales waratah (Telopea speciosissima), king protea (Protea cynaroides), and various species of Banksia, Grevillea, and Leucadendron are popular cut flowers, while the nuts of Macadamia integrifolia are widely grown commercially and consumed. Australia and South Africa have the greatest concentrations of diversity.