Zygophyllum is the type genus of the flowering plant family Zygophyllaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek words ζυγόν (zygon), meaning "yoke," and φυλλον (phyllon), meaning "leaf." It refers to the leaves, each of which have two leaflets. The more than 50 species the genus contains are distributed in arid and semi-arid regions of Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, central Asia and Australia. Recent DNA analysis suggests that the genera Augea, Fagonia, and Tetraena are embedded in Zygophyllum.