Genus GORDONIA, Ellis. 



Terastromiacese. 

 Si/st. Nat. 



Monadelphia Polyandria. 

 St/at. Lin. 



Synonymes. 



Gordonia, Hypericum, 



Gordon ia, 

 Gordoiiie, 



Of Authors. 



France and Italy. 

 Germant. 



Derivations. This genus was named in honour of Alexander Gordon, a celebrated nurseryman, at Mile End, near Londbn, 

 who lived in tlie time of Phillip Miller. The name Hypericum is supposed to be derived from the Greek huper for, and ereiki, 

 heath, and was applied by Linnceus, from a supposed resemblance that plants of this genus bear to the heath. 



Generic Characters. Calyx of 5 rounded coriaceous sepals. Petals 5, somewhat adnate to the urceolus 

 of the stamens. Style crowned by a peltate 5-lobed stigma. Capsules 5-celled, 5-valved ; cells 2 4- 

 seeded. Seeds ending in a leafy wing, fixed to the central column, filiform. Don, Miller^s Diet. 



^HERE are but two hardy species of Gordonia, both sub-evergreen. 

 Ahhough they are natives of a low latitude, they are able to with- 

 stand a considerable northern climate. To the same natural fam- 

 ily belong the genera Malachodendron, Stuartia, Camellia, and 

 Thea. The most noted species among them are the Camellia 



japonica, universally planted in the Japanese gardens, and are 



common in the conservatories of Europe and America ; and the Thea viridis 

 and bohea, or the Chinese tea-plants. The two last-named species, indepen- 

 dent of being especially cultivated in China, France, and Brazil, for their 

 leaves, which constitute the tea of our commerce, are highly esteemed as hot 

 house plaiits, for their large, shining, laurel-like leaves, and sweet-scented, 

 ixillary, white flowers. 



