Theales is a botanical name at the rank of order. Early classifications such as that of Dahlgren placed the Theales in the superorder Theiflorae (also called Theanae). The name was used by the Cronquist system for an order placed in subclass Dilleniidae, in the 1981 version of the system the circumscription was:
family Ochnaceae
family Sphaerosepalaceae
family Dipterocarpaceae
family Caryocaraceae
family Theaceae
family Actinidiaceae
family Scytopetalaceae
family Pentaphylacaceae
family Tetrameristaceae
family Pellicieraceae
family Oncothecaceae
family Marcgraviaceae
family Quiinaceae
family Elatinaceae
family Paracryphiaceae
family Medusagynaceae
family Clusiaceae
In the APG II system (used here) the taxa involved are assigned to many different orders, among which are Ericales, Malvales, and Malpighiales.