ORDER CAMELLIACE^E, OR TEA TRIBE. 



393 



in saccharine matter, from which a good sugar has been ex- 

 tracted, and a pleasant wine obtained by fermentation ; and its 

 nuts are said to possess, when roasted, something of the flavour 

 of chocolate. The bark of most species of the order is tough and 

 strong, and easily separable into layers ; and from these, mats, 

 baskets, and cords are made in many countries. 



558. The small order DIPTEROCARPEJE, nearly allied to this, 

 is worthy of notice, on account of its containing the Camphor- 

 tree of Sumatra, from which our chief supplies of camphor 

 (. 383) will probably hereafter be obtained, though they are at 

 present derived mostly from a species of Laurel. This product 

 is stored up in the former, in receptacles (. 98) sometimes a foot 

 and a half long ; but the tree must be deeply cut into, in order 

 to open these. Some other trees of this group (which is entirely 

 confined to tropical climates) afford small quantities of resin ; it 

 is from one of these that the Piney tallow (. 382), and from 

 another that Copal (. 377)> is obtained. 



559. The next order to be particularly noticed is one of 

 special interest, from its furnishing a product which, without 

 being in the least nutritious, is considered by the Englishman, in 

 almost all ranks, as one of the most indispensable articles of his 

 diet. This order is that of CAMELLIACE^E, the Camellia tribe, 

 well known to the Horticulturist for the beauty of its flowers ; 

 and it is from various species included in it that Tea is obtained. 



The Camellia, now cultivated in 

 most gardens, will afford a good 

 illustration of the characters of 

 the order, which approach those 

 of the succeeding one. The 

 calyx is composed of from 5 to 

 7 sepals, unequal in size, of 

 rather tough consistence, and in 

 FLOWER OF some degree overlapping each 

 other. The petals are from 5 

 to 9, also occasionally imbri- 

 cated, and sometimes slightly 

 The number of stamens is indefinite ; and 



FIG. 147. STRUCTURE o 

 TEA PLANT. A, calyx, with ovarium cut 

 across. B, petal, with bundle of stamens 

 adherent to it. C, vertical Vction of ova- 

 rium, with the three styles. 



adherent at the base. 



