海榄雌科只有一属—海榄雌属，广泛分布于全世界热带和亚热带海岸潮汐地带，是构成红树林的主要树种之一，南半球种类最多。中国有一种，多个变种，分布在南方沿海污泥滩涂带。

海榄雌科植物多为灌木，也有的品种为乔木，有气根；叶对生，全缘，常呈灰白色；花小，花萼5裂；花冠4裂；果实为肉质蒴果。具有保持土壤，防止海岸侵蚀的作用，红树林是滩涂动物的重要栖息地。

1981年的克朗奎斯特分类法将海榄雌属列入马鞭草科内，属于唇形目，1998年根据基因亲缘关系分类的APG 分类法单独分出一个科，仍然放在唇型目中，2003年经过修订的APG II 分类法不承认有这一个科，将海榄雌属列入爵床科中。

Avicennia is a genus of flowering plants currently placed in the bear's breeches family, Acanthaceae. It contains mangrove trees, which occur in the intertidal zones of estuarine areas and are characterized by aerial roots. It is commonly known as api api which in the Malay language means "fires", a reference to the fact that fireflies often congregate on these trees. Species of Avicennia occur worldwide south of the Tropic of Cancer.