548 



BOTANY. 



FIGS. 521-5. ILLUSTRATIONS OP CA 

 LIA CHINENSIS. 



Order Ternstrcemiaceee. Trees and shrubs with alternate (rarely 



opposite) leaves, and mostly monoclinous axillary or racemed flowers. 



Species 260, mostly tropical. (Figs. 520 and 521-5.) 



Several ornamental species are indigenous to the Southern United 



States e.g., the Loblolly Bay (Gordonia Lasianthus, Fig 520), a tree 



nine to fifteen metres (30 to 50 ft.) high ; O. pubtscens, the Mountain 



Bay ; and two shrubby species of Stuartia. 

 The most common exotic species cultivated for ornament is the 



Camellia (Camellia Japonicu) a well-known hot-house shrub from 



China and Japan. 



The Tea Tree (Camellia Chinemis or Thea Chinensis) is an evergreen 

 tree three to five metres high, and 

 a native, probably, of Southern 

 and Eastern Asia. It has been 

 cultivated for ages by the Chi- 

 nese, and has lately been intro- 

 duced to a limited extent into 

 other countries. In preparing the 

 leaves they are carefully picked, 

 and then are subjected to alternate 

 drying, pressing, rolling and air- 

 ing until the proper chemical 

 changes have taken place, and a 

 sufficient part of the water is 

 driven off. The different kinds 

 and qualities of tea depend upon 

 the rapidity of the process, and 

 also upon the age of the leaves 

 used, the more rapid process and 

 the younger leaves producing the 

 finer green teas, the slower pro- 

 cess and older leaves producing 

 the black teas. Somewhat appears 

 also to depend upon the variety of 



niflei. 525 -- Halfembr ^' innulface - M S- the plant, there being, it is gene- 

 rally admitted, two varieties or 



races, viz., var. viridw aud var. Bohea. 



Tea leaves after preparation contain the alkaloid Caffeine (C 8 H l() 



N 4 Oa + H 3 O), which also occurs in roasted coffee. 

 Order Guttifereee. Trees and shrubs with yellowish or greenish 



resinous juice, opposite leaves, and mostly diclinous flowers. Species 



230, all tropical. 



Gurdnia MoreUa, a small tree of Siam, produces Gamboge, a valuable 



color used in painting. Incisions are made into the bark, and the juice 



which exudes is gathered and dried, constituting the crude UamUoge. 

 The Mangosteen, a fruit about as large as an apple, and considered 



FIG. 523. 



Fig. 521.-Ripe fruit. Ms 



Fijr. 522. Seed. Magnified. 



Fie. 523. Section of seed Magnified 



Fig. 524. Embryo. Magnified. 



