TERNSTR@MIACEZ OR CAMELLIACEA. 471 
aromatic, and powerfully sudorific ; their leaves mucilaginous ; their unripe 
fruit aromatic, acrid, and purgative. > ‘The flower-buds of Mesua Serrea 
occur in the bazaars of India, with those of Calysaccion longifolium (see 
Calysaccion), under the name of Nag-kassur; they are highly esteemed 
for their fragrance, and are also used in Bengal, as well as the leaves of 
the same plant, as antidotes to snake-poisons. Nag-kassar is also much 
employed for dyeing silks. Nag-kassar was imported into England a few 
years since. The flower-buds are ‘about the size of peppercorns, of a cinnamon- 
brown colour, and have a very fragrant odour somewhat resembling that of 
violets. 
Pentadesma butyracea.—The fruit of this plant vields a fatty matter, 
hence it is called the Butter or Tallow Tree of Sierra Leone. 
Order 5. TERNSTROEMIACE or CAMELLIACEH, the Tea 
Order.—Character.—Trees or shrubs. Leaves leathery, alter- 
nate, usually exstipulate, and sometimes dotted. Flowers regu- 
lar, and generally very showy, rarely polygamous. Sepals 
or 7, coriaceous, imbricate, deciduous. Petals 5, 6, or 9, often 
united at the base, imbricate. Stamens hypogynous, numerous, 
distinct or united by their filaments into one or several bundles ; 
anthers 2-celled, versatile or adnate. Ovary superior, many- 
celled ; styles filiform, 3—7. Fruit capsular, 2—7-celled ; pla- 
centas axile ; dehiscence various. Seeds few, sometimes arillate ; 
albumen wanting or in very small quantity ; embryo straight or 
folded ; cotyledons large and oily ; radicle towards the hilum. 
Diagnosis.—Trees or shrubs, with alternate usually exstipu- 
late leathery leaves. Sepals and petals imbricate in estiva- 
tion, and having no tendency to a quaternary arrangement. 
Stamens numerous, hypogynous ; anthers versatile or adnate. 
Ovary superior; styles filiform. Seeds solitary or very few, 
attached to axile placentas ; albumen wanting or in very small 
quantity. 
Distribution and Numbers.—These plants, which are mostly 
ornamental trees or shrubs, are chiefly natives of South America, 
but a few are found in the East Indies, China, and North 
America. One species only occurs in Africa. There are no 
European species, although a few are cultivated in Europe. 
Illustrative Genera :—Ternstreemia, Mut.; Camellia, Linn. The 
order, as defined above, following Lindley, contains about 130 
species. 
Properties and Uses.—Generally speaking, we know but little 
of the properties of the plants of this order; but some, as those 
from which China Tea is prepared, are moderately stimulant, 
astringent, and slightly soothing and sedative. 
Camellia or Thea (see Thea).—Numerous varieties of Camellia japonica, 
which is a large tree in its native country, are cultivated in our green- 
houses, and are celebrated for the beauty of their flowers and foliage. The 
seeds of C. oleifera yield by expression a good salad oil—C. Sasanqua has 
fragrant flowers, which are said to be used in some districts to give flavour 
and odour to Chinese Tea. 
Freziera theoides.—The leaves of this shrub are used as a kind of tea in 
Panama. 
