CHL^ENACE^E TERNSTRCEMIACE^E 375 



having a camphoraceous odour. Indian copal, or Gum animi of com- 

 merce, is the inspissated varnish got from Valeria Indica. The fruit 

 of this tree yields to boiling water the celebrated Butter of Canara, or 

 Pinei tallow. Various species of Dipterocarpus yield a substance like 

 Balsam of Copaiva. 



791. Order 32. Chkenaceie, the Chlsenad Family. (Polypet.Hypog.) 

 Involucre 1-2-flowered, persistent. Sepals 3, small. Petals 5-6, 

 hypogynous, sometimes combined at the base where they are broader. 

 Stamens 10, or indefinite; filaments cohering at the base, and united 

 to the base of the petals ; anthers roundish, free or united, bilocular. 

 Ovary single, trilocular; style 1, filiform; stigma trifid. Capsule 

 3-celled, or by abortion 1 -celled. Seeds solitary or numerous, sus- 

 pended, attached to a central placenta; embryo in the axis of fleshy 

 or horny albumen; cotyledons leafy, undulated. Trees or shrubs, 

 with alternate stipulate leaves, found in Madagascar. Their proper- 

 ties are unknown. There are four genera enumerated, including pro- 

 bably about 8 or 10 species. Examples Sarcolama, Leptolaana. 



792. Order 33. Ternstreemiacetc, the Tea Family. (Polypet.Hypog.} 

 Sepals 5 or 7, concave, coriaceous, deciduous, the innermost often the 

 largest; aestivation imbricated (fig. 265 c). Petals 5, 6, or 9, often 

 combined at the base (fig. 265 p). Stamens indefinite, hypogynous; 

 filaments free, or united at the base into one or more parcels ; anthers 

 versatile, or adnate, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary multilocular; 

 styles 2-7. Fruit either a capsule, 2-7-celled, opening by valves, or 

 coriaceous and indehiscent. Seeds attached to the axis, few and large ; 

 albumen 0, or in very small quantity; embryo straight or bent, or 

 folded back; radicle next the Inlum; cotyledons very large, often con- 

 taining oil. Trees or shrubs, with alternate, coriaceous, exstipulate 

 leaves, which are sometimes dotted. They abound in South America, 

 and many occur in India, while others inhabit China and North 

 America. There are 33 genera, and 130 species enumerated. Ex- 

 amples Ternstrcemia, Gordonia, Camellia, Thea. 



793. The most important plants of this order are those which yield 

 Tea. Considerable discussion has taken place regarding the Tea plants : 

 some say that there is only one species; others, two; others, three. 

 Fortune visited the black and green tea districts of Canton, Fokien, 

 and Chekiang, and he says that the black and green teas of the nor- 

 thern districts of China are obtained from the same species or variety, 

 viz. that cultivated in Britain under the name of Thea viridis; while the 

 black and green teas from the neighbourhood of Canton are made 

 from the species or variety cultivated in this country under the name 

 of Thea Bohea. Some make the Assam plant a different species, and 

 thus recognize three, Thea Cantoniensis or Bohea, Thea viridis, and Thea 

 Assamica. The quality of the tea depends much on the season when the 

 leaves are picked, the mode in which it is prepared, as well as the district 



