The Ebenaceae are a family of flowering plants belonging to order Ericales. It includes ebony and persimmon among about 768 species of trees and shrubs. The family is distributed across the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world. The family is most diverse in the rainforests of Malesia, India, tropical Africa and tropical America. Many species are valued for their wood, particularly ebony, for fruit, and as ornamental plants.