260 NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



GENERA. 



I. THE^E. 



1 . Thea L. — Flowers hermaphrodite regular ; receptacle conical. 

 Sepals 5 or more rarely 6-cc, gradually accrescent from bractlets 

 to petals, much imbricated. Petals 5 or more rarely 6-co, often 

 shortly connate at base to a greater or less height among themselves 

 and with filaments of exterior stamens, much imbricated. Stamens 

 oo , the exterior shortly or more rarely long 1-adelphous ; 5 or more 

 rarely 10-15 {Camellia), free; anthers extrorse, 2-locular, versatile; 

 cells linear, often with rather thick connective acute or acuminate 

 at apex, marginally rimose. Germen 3-5-locular ; styles same in 

 number, free nearly at base or offcener connate beyond the middle in 

 a tube, free tubular at apex, stigmatiferous quite at apex. Ovules in 

 each cell 2-seriate inserted in internal angle, anatropous, raphe con- 

 tiguous, subhorizontal, descending. Capsule subcarneous, finally dry, 

 with loculicidal dehiscence ; seeds in cells often solitary or few, thick, 

 sometimes unequally compressed ; embryo exalbuminous fleshy, 

 cotyledons thick plano-convex, base sheathed round superior radicle. 

 — Trees or shrubs ; leaves alternate (evergreen), coriaceous or mem- 

 branous, usually serrate ; flowers axillary or subterminal, solitary or 

 subcymose, few, pedunculate or subsessile (Trop. Asia, Ind. Arch.). 

 See p. 235. 



2. Gordonia Ell. 1 — Flowers hermaphrodite ; perianth 2 nearly of 

 Thea. Stamens co ; filaments inserted in fleshy annular cupule adnate 

 at base to petals {Etit/orc/onia), or more rarely 5-adelphous ; phalanges 

 oppositipetalous (FranMinia 3 ) ; anthers extrorse, finally versatile. 

 Germen 3-5- or rarely C-locular; style erect, simple, apex stigma- 

 tiferous capitate radiant ; ovules in •each cell 4- oo 3 descending. Cap- 

 sule ligneous, oblong or subglobose (FranMinia), with loculicidal 

 dehiscence ; columella persistent. Seeds flat or compressed, more 



1 In Phil. Trans., lx. (1770), 518, t. 11. — J., (ind. : Antheischima Korth., Carria Gardn., 



Gen., 275. — Lamk., Diet., ii. 770 ; Suppl., ii. Dipterospermum Griff., FranMinia Marsh, 



816 ; III., t. 594. — DC, Prodr., i. 582. — Lacathea Salisb., Polyspora Sweet). 



Sfach, Suit, a, Buffon, iv. 79. — Endl., Gen., 2 Petals whitish or pink. 



n. 5424.— Payer, Organog., 532, t. 149.— A. 3 Marsh, Arb., 48.— Lacathea Salisb., 



Grat, Gen. III., t. 140-142.— B. H., Gen., Par. Load., n. 56. 

 186, n. 22.— H. Bn., in Payer Fam. Nat., 265 



