Ord. TERNSTROMIACEiE. 



Arbores vel frutices speciosi, foliis alternis simplicibus 

 penninerviis exstipiilatis : dicotyledoneae, dichlamydese, hy- 

 pogynas, polyandri-sub-l-5-adelpha5: calycis corollaeque asti- 

 vatione imbricativa ; filamentis basi coalitis in annulum sen 

 in phalanges petalis antepositis, basi eorum adnatis ; antheris 

 introrsis bilocularibus ; capsula 2 - 5-loculari sagpissime locii- 

 licida; embryone majiisculo recto sen curvato in albumine 

 carnoso parco, aut in exalbuminosis maximo. 



Ternstromiace^e, DC. in Mem. Soc. Genev. 1. p. 293, & Prodr. 1. p. 

 523 (excl. gen.). Cambess. in Mem. Mus. 16. p. 401. Wight, 

 III. p. 89. Endl. Gen. p. 1017 (excl. Trib. 1 & 3, &c.). Lindl. 

 Veg. Kingd. p. 396. 



TERNSTROMiEiE &- TheacEjE, Mirb. Bull. Philom. 1813. 



CAMELLiEiE, DC. Theor. Elem. ed. 1, & Prodr. 1. p. 529. 



The Tea Family, as this may be appropriately named, from its most im- 

 portant plant, while evidently related to the foregoing Columniferous orders, 

 is readily distinguished from all of them by the imbricative aestivation botii 

 of the calyx and the corolla, and generally by the want of stipules. On the 

 other hand, it is most nearly allied to the Guttiferas or Clusiaceas ; from which 

 its alternate leaves, colorless and not resinous juice, herbaceous calyx, pre- 

 vailingly pentamerous flowers, and a different embryo, are obvious distin- 

 guishing characters. From Aurantiaceae, to a dubious section of which 

 Jussieu referred several of the genera, these plants differ by their simple and 

 usually not pellucid-punctate leaves, strongly imbricated floral envelopes, 

 capsular fruit, &c. 



The Ternstromiacese are all elegant shrul)s or trees, with simple and en- 

 tire, or barely serrate, exstipulate leaves, which are distinctly articulated 

 with the stem, and usually large and showy, white or sometimes red or rose- 

 colored flowers. The capsules are almost always thick and woody. 



Two genera, each of two species so distinct as to constitute subgenera, 

 represent this family in North America. They are confined to the eastern 

 border of the United States, from Virginia to Texas. In the corresponding 

 part of the Old World, namely, in Japan, China, and the Himalayan region, 



