An order of flowering plants, division Magnoliophyta (angiosperms), in the large asterid assemblage (often Asteridae in previous systems of classification). Nearly all of the 24 families assigned to the order have previously been considered members of several orders in the subclass Dilleniidae. Ericales are a diverse group that have general asterid characters: tenuinucellate ovules; flowers with fused sepals, and often, fused petals with the anthers fused at least basally to the petals, even when the petals are apparently free; cellular endosperm formation; and tegumentary tapeta.