A former widely recognized subclass of Magnoliophyta (angiosperms or flowering plants). Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and morphological studies have demonstrated that this group includes many more families than previously thought (for example, a large number of families previously referred to the subclass Dilleniidae). Whereas formal reclassification awaits further evidence, it is clear that there is a large group that can be considered rosid. Approximately 136 families (roughly 30% of the total angiosperms) in 11 orders are included in the rosids. With the asterids (often recognized as Asteridae), the rosids represent the two most advanced lines of dicots.