A family of about 65 genera and about 900 species, pantropic, with a few species extending into temperate zones; ten genera occur naturally in Australia.

Achyranthes - A genus of about 100 species in Africa, Asia, Malesia and Australia; one species occurs naturally in Australia.

Alternanthera - A genus of about 200 species in the tropics and subtropics; ten species occur naturally in Australia and three species have become naturalised.

Amaranthus - A genus of about 40-60 species in tropical and temperate areas; 10 or 11 species occur naturally in Australia with15 species that have become naturalised. Backer (1949).

Cyathula - A genus of about 27 species distributed in Asia, Pacific Islands, Africa, and North and South America with 1 species that have become naturalised.

Deeringia - A genus of about 7-12 species in Madagascar, Asia, Malesia and Australia; two species occur naturally in Australia.

Pupalia - A genus of four species in tropical areas; two species occur in Australia. Harwood & Palmer (2011)

Backer, C.A. (1949). Amaranthaceae. In 'Flora Malesiana.' Ser. 1, Vol. 4, (P. Noordhoff Ltd: Groningen.), pp. 69-98.

Hardwood, R.K. & Palmer, J. (2001). Amaranthaceae. In 'Flora of the Darwin Region Vol. 1'. Northern Territory Botanical Bulletin 37.

Hnatiuk, R.J. (1990). 'Census of Australian Vascular Plants.' Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11, (Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra.), 650 pp.

Kanis, A. (1972). A review of the Amaranthaceae in Papuasia. Contributions from Herbarium Australiense 1:1-18.

Palmer, J. (2009) A conspectus of the genus Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae) in Australia. Nuytsia 19.

Stanley, T.D. & Ross, E.M. (1983). Amaranthaceae. In 'Flora of south-eastern Queensland.' Vol. 1, (Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Brisbane.), pp. 131-140.

Wheeler, J.R. Rye, Barbara L. Koch, B.L. Wilson, A.J.G. (1992). Flora of the Kimberley region. Western Australian Herbarium. Como, W.A.