Ericales: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The Ericales are an order of dicotyledons. The following families are typical of newer classifications:

• Family Actinidiaceae (kiwifruit family)
• Family Balsaminaceae (balsam family)
• Family Clethraceae (clethra family)
• Family Cyrillaceae (cyrilla family)
• Family Diapensiaceae
• Family Ebenaceae (ebony family)
• Family Ericaceae (heath family)
• Family Fouquieriaceae (fouquieria family)
• Family Lecythidaceae (brazilnut family)
• Family Maesaceae
• Family Marcgraviaceae
• Family Mitrastemonaceae
• Family Myrsinaceae
• Family Pellicieraceae
• Family Pentaphylacaceae
• Family Polemoniaceae (phlox family)
• Family Primulaceae (primrose family)
• Family Roridulaceae
• Family Sapotaceae (sapodilla family)
• Family Sarraceniaceae (pitcher plant family)
• Family Sladeniaceae
• Family Styracaceae
• Family Symplocaceae
• Family Ternstroemiaceae
• Family Tetrameristaceae
• Family Theaceae (tea family)
• Family Theophrastaceae

These make up a basal group of asterids. Under the older Cronquist system, the Ericales included a smaller group of plants, which were placed among the Dileniidae:

• Family Ericaceae
• Family Cyrillaceae
• Family Clethraceae
• Family Grubbiaceae
• Family Empetraceae
• Family Epacridaceae
• Family Pyrolaceae
• Family Monotropaceae