THEACEAE TEA 629 



general paresis. Tea contains some saponin, but it is found especially in Then 

 Sassanqua of China and Japan and a saponin-like substance called assamin oc- 

 curs in T. assamica; the flowers of the former species are used to flavor tea. 

 The flowers and leaves of T. Kissi are used as an insecticide. 



The Camellia (C. Hongkongensis) is a well known evergreen shrub culti- 

 vated in green houses. Two east North American genera of the order are 

 Stuartia and Gordonia. 



The leaves of many plants are used as substitutes for tea, among them are : 

 Cromwell (Lit ho s per mum officinale), Willow herb (Epilobium angusti folium), 

 Willow (Salix), Ash (Fraxinus sp.), European Mountain Ash (Pyrus Aucup- 

 aria), Mulberry (Morus alba and nigra), Coffee (Coffea arabica), Camellia 

 (Camellia hongkongensis), Cherry (Prunus spinosa), Rose ( Rosa canina), 

 Strawberry (Fragaria vesca and virginiana) , Meadow Sweet (Filipendula ulinma- 

 ria), Wistaria (W. chinensis), Hydrangea (H. Hortensia"), Boxelder (Negundo 

 aceroides), Oak (Quercns), Akebia (A. quinata), Blueberry (Vaccinium Myrtil- 

 lus). In Russia the leaves of Vaccinium and Arctostaphylos are made into tea. 

 In North America, in addition to plants previously named, the leaves of Labrador 

 tea (Lcdum latifolium), New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), Oswego tea 

 (Monarda didyina) and Mexican tea (Chenopodiuin ambrosioides}, are fre- 

 quently used. 



In South America the following are tea substitutes : Lippia pseudothea, 

 Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Psoralea glandulosa, Myrtus Ugni, Symplocos Al- 

 stonia, Capraria biflora, Angraecum fragrans, and Eritrichium gnaphaloides. 



In China Sageretia theezans is used as a tea substitute, and in Australia 

 various species of Myrtaceae are used for the same purpose. 



HYPERICACEAE. St. John's-wort Family 



Herbs or shrubs or occasionally small trees with opposite entire punctate, 

 dotted leaves, without stipules ; flowers solitary or cymose, paniculate, perfect 

 and regular; sepals and petals 4 or 5, sepals persistent; stamens numerous, hy- 

 pogynous in 3 or 5 sets; ovary 1-7-celled, and as many styles; pod 1-celled with 

 2-5 parietal placentae ; seeds numerous, small ; endosperm absent. About 275 

 species, some cultivated for ornamental purposes. Kalm St. John's-wort (H. 

 Kalmianum) of the lake region, shrubby St. John's-wort (H. prolificum) 

 and the great St. John's-wort (H. Ascyron) are desirable species for orna- 

 mental planting. The H. perforatum and other species yield a yellow dye. The 

 Vismia viridiflora of Guiana yields a resin called American gamboge. 



Hypericum (Tourn.) L. St. John's-wort 



Herbs or shrubs with opposite punctate leaves ; flowers borne in cymose 

 clusters ; sepals 5 ; slightly unequal ; petals 5, yellow ; stamens numerous, distinct 

 or somewhat united in sets; fruit a capsule 1 to 5-celled; seeds numerous. 

 About 200 species, of wide distribution. 



Hypericum perforatum L. Common St. John's-wort 



A perennial, much branched herb, with numerous sterile shoots at the base : 

 leaves sessile, oblong or linear, black, punctate dots ; flowers borne in cymose 

 clusters, yellow sepals shorter than the yellow and black-dotted petals; stamens 

 many in 3-5 clusters. 



