As a cultivated ornamental vine. Similar to the families of the Magnoliales, this family has spherical oil cells and silica bodies in the parenchyma tissue and produces aristolochic acid, which is specific to the family. The flowers often have the smell of rotting meat, which attracts fly pollinators. Inflorescence a solitary flower or in cymes or racemes. Fruit as a capsule.
Seeds have small embryos and oily endosperm.
Placentation is axile or parietal. Stipules are lacking.