452 TEENSTE(EMIACE^._ 



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

 bably about 8 or 10 species. Examples — Sarcolsena, Leptolsena, Schizo- 

 Isena, Ehodolsena. 



Order 32. — TEENSTE(BMiACE.a!, the Tea Family. (Polypet. Hypoff.) 

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

 largest; aestivation imbricated (fig. 289 c, p. 194). Petals 5, 6, 

 or 9, often combined at the base. Stamens indefinite, hypogynous ; 

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

 versatile, or adnate, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary multUocular; 

 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 hilum ; cotyledons very large 

 (fig. 599, p. 335), often containing oil. — Trees or shrubs, with alter- 

 nate coriaceous, exstipuiate leaves, which are sometimes dotted. 

 They abound in South America, and many occur in India, while others 

 inhabit China and North America. They do not occur in Australia 

 and New Zealand. There are 32 genera and 260 species enumerated. 

 The order has been divided into six tribes, founded on the following 

 genera : Examples — 1. Ehizobola. 2. Marcgravia. 3. Temstroemia. 

 4. Saurauja. 5. Gordonia. 6. Bonnetia. 



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 Ohekiang, and he says that the black and green teas of the north- 

 ern districts of Chioa are obtained from the same species or variety, 

 viz. that cultivated in Britain under the name of Thea iiiridis ; 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 recognise three, Thea Oantoniensis or Bohea, Thea viridis, and Thea 

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

 leaves are picked, the mode in which they are prepared, as well as the 

 district in which the plant grows. Green Tea contains more essential oil 

 and tannin than Black Tea. The Green Teas include Twankay, Young 

 Hyson, Hyson, Gunpowder, and Imperial; while the black include 

 Bohea, Congou, Souchong, Oolong, and Pekoe. The teas of certain dis- 

 tricts, such as Ankoi, have peculiar characters. In some instances teas 

 are dyed by means of Isatis indigotica ; in other cases by Prussian blue, 

 turmeric, and gypsum. Perfume is communicated to teas by means 

 of Olea fragrans, Ohloranthus inconspicuus, and Aglaia odorata. There 

 is a bitter principle in tea called theine, which may be procured by 

 adding a slight excess of acetate of lead to a decoction of tea, filtering 

 hot, evaporating, and subliming. According to Dr. Stenhouse, 



