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XXV. Synopsis of the Genera Camellia and Thea. By Berthold Seemann, Ph.D., F.L.S. 



Read May 5th, 1859. 



Great diversity of opinion exists as to whether the genera Camellia and Thea ought 

 to be merged into one, or regarded as distinct. The advocates of the union argue that 

 hitherto no difference of generic importance has been pointed out, which, on being put to 

 the test, has not broken down, and that, notwithstanding great authorities have pro- 

 nounced in favour of keeping them separate, the generic union of Camellia and Thea is 

 dictated by the stern laws of systematic botany, whilst theii- opponents have as yet not 

 been able to disprove, with any degree of satisfaction, those sweeping assertions. In order 

 to arrive at an independent opinion, it will be necessary to examine the various generic 

 characters that have from time to time been proposed by authorities on the subject, and 

 to add such critical remarks as a careful study of these plants enables me to make. 



Linnaeus, who was acquainted with only two species of Camellia and one of Thea, thus 

 defines them, in his sixth edition of the ' Genera Plantarum ' of 176i : — 



Camellia, Linn. 

 Monadelphia Polyandria. 

 Cat. Perianthium polyphyllum, subrotundatum, 

 imbricatum ; squamis subrotundis, obtusissimis, 

 internis sensim majoribus, concavis, deciduis. 

 Cor. Petala 5, obovata, basi coalita. Stam. Fi- 

 lamenta numerosa, erecta, coalita in coronam 

 stylo ampliorem, superne libera, corolla bre- 

 viora. Antherce simplices. Pist. Germen sub- 

 rotundum. Stylus subulatus, longitudine sta- 

 minum. Stigma acutum, reflexum. Per. Cap- 

 sula turbinata, lignosa, sulcis aliquot exarata. 

 Sem. Nuclei tot quot striae capsulae, subrotundi, 

 seminibus minoribus saepe repletis. 



Thea, Kaempf. 

 Polyandria Monogynia. 

 Cat. Perianthium 6-partitum, minimum, planum, 

 foliolis rotundatis, obtusis, per.sistentibus. Cor. 

 Petala 6, subrotunda, concava, aequalia, magna. 

 Stam. Filamenta numerosa (ducenta circiter), 

 filiformia, corolla breviora. Antherae simplices. 

 Pist. Germen globoso-trigonum. Stylus subu- 

 latus, longitudine staminum. Stigma triplex. 

 Per. Capsula ex tribus globis coalita, 3-locu- 

 laris, apice trifariam dehiscens. Sem. solitaria, 

 globosa, introrsum angulata. 



It is unnecessary to dwell much upon the imperfections of these characters. Linnteus, 

 by placing Camellia in Monadelphia Polyandria, and Thea in Polyandria 3Ionogynia, 

 undoubtedly laboured under the belief that in Tliea all the stamens were free. The 

 greater number of them are, however, as firmly united at the base as those of the typical 

 Camellia Japonica are, and the genus ought therefore to have been placed in Jfonadelphia 

 Polyandria, as has been done by subsequent wTiters of the Linnean school. But Linnaeus 

 had very imperfect specimens of Thea at his disposal even when he published the sixth 

 edition of his ' Genera Plantarum.' After the publication of that edition, however, he 

 seems to have had access to better materials ; for in one of his copies of that work pre- 

 served in our library we find several marginal notes in his own handwriting, emending the 



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