[ree] 
XIII. The Ternstræmiaceous Plants of Hong Kong. By CAPTAIN adi 95th Reg. 
Communicated by the PRESIDENT. 
Read November 5, 1850. 
CONSIDERING the great success of the Camellia Japonica as an ornamental green- 
house plant, it appears remarkable that but little attention should have been paid to the 
introduction into England of other plants of that order from India and China. Both the 
Camellias and Gordonias are trees or shrubs of very great beauty, and of rather hardy 
growth; in tropical climates restricted to elevations, where the climate bears affinities to 
more northern temperatures; and in China they flower alongside of the Azaleas so 
successfully introduced into England. Polypetalous, they hold out to the horticulturist 
the probabilities of increased beauty through judicious and successful cultivation. 
The species of Camellia at present best known in England has been principally intro- 
duced from Chinese gardens. Without detracting from the good taste of that nation, in 
having selected elegant species, and brought their flowers to a degree of improvement 
which alone might have been expected from English industry, it is to be presumed that 
many species (some of which have been described by Loureiro) remain, in the wilds of 
Southern China, uncultivated. 3 
The Chinese are in some respects bizarres in their admiration of plants; they have 
their favourites, and they are permanent favourites; not the fashion of the day, but of 
centuries; and these alone they cultivate, although we are acquainted, through Mr. 
Reeves and through Mr. Fortune, with other plants of great beauty, which are less 
admired by that nation. Should at any period English taste extend itself to others of 
the Camellia tribe, we must principally look for them from the Celestial Empire. The 
plants about to be described are indigenous to one small island. 
Genus CAMELLIA, L. 
1. CAMELLIA SPECTABILIS; arborea, folis lanceolatis acuminatis glabris crenatis sub- 
tùs reticulatis, floribus solitariis magnis albis axillaribus et subterminalibus, sepalis 
coriaceis fructibusque pomi magnitudinis sericeis. 
Hab. in insulà Hong Kong, Sinarum, in sylvis. | 
A small tree; flowering also as a shrub. Branchlets light ferruginous. Leaves 
alternate, short-petioled, elongate-lanceolate, with a long acumination, crenated and 
pellucid on the margin, coriaceous, smooth and shining; pale beneath and reticulately 
veined. In dried specimens the leaves turn yellow like those of a Symplocos; they are 
under 5 inches long by 14 lines broad. Flowers about 24 inches across; sepals 9-11, 
imbricated, obtuse, yellowish green and very sericeous, coriaceous. Petals about 7, 
white, roundish-obovate, emarginate. Stamens very numerous, gamboge-yellow. Style 
Q2 
