An order of flowering plants, division Magnoliophyta (Angiospermae) in the subclass Dilleniidae of the class Magnoliopsida (dicotyledons). The order consists of 5 families and about 1750 species, the Sapotaceae (about 800 species) and Ebenaceae (about 450 species) being the largest and most familiar families. The Ebenales are woody, chiefly tropical, sympetalous plants (those with flowers have the petals joined by their margins, at least toward the base, forming a basal tube, cup, or saucer) with usually twice as many stamens (including staminodes) as corolla lobes. When there is a single set of stamens, these are generally opposite the corolla lobes. Ordinarily there are only one or two ovules in each locule and the placentation is axile (that is, the placenta forms a central axis in an ovary which is divided by longitudinal partitions into two or more chambers). In a cross section of such an ovary, the partitions radiate from the central axis (placenta) to the lateral wall of the ovary. Chicle (from Manilkara sapota, in the Sapotaceae) and ebony (Diospyros ebeneum) are obtained from members of the Ebenales.