The still older Cronquist system of 1981, which was not based on molecular data, placed the order in subclass Commelinidae of class Liliopsida and included the families Commelinaceae, Mayacaceae, Rapateaceae and Xyridaceae.
It is considered that the Zingiberales together with the Commelinales evolved around 80 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous.