 No research has been published on the family, though several standard reference works have recognized the Aphelariaceae, placed it within the order Cantharellales, and moved the genus "Corticirama" elsewhere, though the basis for these dispositions is unclear.Members of the Aphelariaceae (excluding "Corticirama") are terrestrial and typically found in woodland, but it is not known whether they are saprotrophic (litter-rotting) or ectomycorrhizal.Just over 20 species are currently placed within the family, most of them from the tropics and subtropics, extending southwards into temperate regions (New Zealand).