DICOTYLEDONES— THALAMIFLOEiE 293 



* and the African continent. Illustrative Genera : — Clusia, 

 Linn. ; Garoinia, Linn. There are about 250 species. 



Properties and Uses. — The plants of this order are chiefly 

 remarlsable for yielding a yellow gum-resin of an acrid and 

 purgative nature. In many cases, however, the fruits are edible, 

 and are held in high estimation for their delicious flavour. The 

 seeds of some are oily, and other plants of the order are good 

 timber-trees. 



Order n. TEENSTECEMiAOB.ffi: or CAMELLiACEa:, the Tea Order. 

 — Character. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves leathery, alternate, 

 usually exstipulate, and sometimes dotted. Floivers regular, 

 and generally very showy, rarely polygamous. Sepals 5 or 7, 

 coriaceous, imbricate ; often deciduous. Petals 5, 6, or 9, often 

 united at the base, imbricate. Stamens hypogyuous, numerous, 

 distinct or united by their filaments into one or several bundles ; 

 anthers 2-celled, versatile or adnate. Ovary superior, many- 

 celled; styles filiform, 3 — 7. Fruit capsular, 2 — 7-celled; pla- 

 centas axile ; dehiscence various. Seeds few, sometimes arillate ; 

 albumen wanting or in very small quantity ; embryo straight or 

 folded ; cotyledons large and oily ; radicle towards the hilum. 



Diagnosis. — Trees or shrubs, with alternate usually exstipu- 

 late leathery leaves. Sepals and petals imbricate in aestiva- 

 tion, and having no tendency to a quaternary arrangement. 

 Stamens numerous, hypogynous ; anthers versatile or adnate. 

 Ovary superior, styles filiform. Seeds solitary or very few, 

 attached to axile placentas ; albumen wanting or in very small 

 quantity. 



Distribution and Numbers. — These plants, which are mostly 

 ornamental trees or shrubs, are chiefly natives of South America, 

 but a few are found in the East Indies, China, and North 

 America. One species only occurs in Africa. There are no 

 European species, although a few are cultivated in Europe. 

 Illustrative Genera : — Ternstroemia, Mut. ; Camellia, Linn. 

 The order, as defined above, following Lindley, contains about 

 130 species. 



Properties and Uses, — Generally speaking, we know but little 

 of the properties of the plants of this order ; but some, as those 

 from which China tea is prepared, are moderately stimulant, 

 astringent, and sUghtly soothing and sedative. 



Order 78. MaeograaviacEjE, the Marcgraavia Order. — Dia- 

 gnosis. — This is a small order which is generally regarded as 

 allied to Clusiaceee and Hyperioacese. The species belonging to 

 it are chiefly distinguished from Clusiacese by their unsymmetri- 



