t 



DICOTYLEDONS. 149 



79. THEACEJE. TEA FAMILY. 



Trees or shrubs ; leaves alternate, simple, pinuately veined, 

 exstipiilate ; flowers axillary or terminal, showy, perfect ; 

 sepals few or many, often unequal in size ; petals 4-7 or 

 more ; stamens numerous, monadelphous below or in sets 

 opposite the petals ; styles 2-5, distinct or united ; capsule 

 2-5-celled, 2-many ovules in each cell. 



I. CAMELLIA. 



Shrubs or small trees ; leaves evergreen, often thick and 

 coriaceous, smooth and shining; flowers axillary or terminal, 

 short-peduncled ; sepals many, the inner ones longer; petals 

 white or colored, obovate ; stamens many, monadelphous 

 below ; styles united, stigmas 3-5 ; fruit a dry, 3-5-celled 

 capsule. 



1. C. Japonica L. Camellia. Shrubs or small trees; leaves 

 short-petioled, thick and leathery, dark green, shining, ovate, acumi- 

 nate, serrate; flowers mostly terminal, solitary; petals red or wliite; 

 stamens very numerous, often many of them transformed into petals. 

 February-April. Futroduced from Japan, and hardy in the southern 

 section. 



2. C. viuiDLs. Tea. A ])rauching shrub 2-0 ft. higli ; leaves 

 ])etioled, lanceolate-obloug, acute, serrat«% smooth and sliiuing; 

 flowers axiUary, white, fra<;rant; jietals twice as long as the sejtals; 

 ca|isule "J—Vcclled, 2-.")-s('('de(l, seeds nearly black, as large as peas, 

 ^hirch-fliine. Introduced from China and often cultivated. 



II. STUARTIA. 



Shrul)s; leaves alternate, deciduous ; flowers large, on sliort 

 axillary peibmcles ; se])als 5-0, silky, laneeolate ; ]>etals 5 (>, 

 obovate, crenulate, silky; stamens monadeljjhous below, in- 

 serted in the base of th(^ corolla ; styles 1 or 5, ovary 5-celled, 

 2 ovules in each cell ; fruit an ovoid, woody capsule. 



S. ^L\ I. \( iioDiNDKoN L. llorNO-i iM 1 ri.i) Srr ak ri A. Shriilts, 

 <i \'J ft. hijL;"h; IwIl^s imbesceiit ; le.-ncs short-petioled. oVal, tliin, 

 liiiely serrulate, slightly pubesc«'iit; flowers "J-'l in. wide, on vt-ry 



