274 XXXII. CAMELLIACE^. 



Tribe III. SAUBAUJEJS. 



Petals imbricate. Anthers versatile. Fruit very rarely sub-dehiseent, usually 

 pulpy. Seeds numerous, small; albumen copious; embryo straight, or slightly 

 bent, radicle usually longer than the cotyledons. — Trees or upright or twining 

 shrubs. Peduncles many-flowered. 



PBINCrPAL GENERA. 

 * Saurauja. Actinidia. Stachj'unis. 



Tribe IV. GOBBONIEM. 



Petals imbricate. Anthers versatile. Fruit loeulicidal (OameZZm, Thea, Stuartia), 

 or indehiscent {Pelliciera, Omphahcar;pum) . Albumen usually 0, or scanty; cotyle- 

 dons thick, flat, or crumpled or folded ; radicle short, straight or inflexed. — Trees or 

 erect shrubs. Peduncles 1-flowered. 



PEINCIPAL GENERA. 

 *Stuartia. *Gordoma. * Camellia. *Tliea. Schima. Pyrenaria. Laplacea. 



Teibb V. BONNETIE^. 



Petals contorted. Anthers versatile or sub-basifixed. Capsule septicidal. 

 Albumen 0, or very scanty ; embryo straight ; cotyledons large ; radicle short. 

 — Erect trees. Flowers in terminal panicles or in axillary racemes. 



PEINCIPAX GENERA. 

 Bonnetia. Mahurea. Caraipa. Marila. Kielmeyera. 



Camelliacece have many affinities: 1. With polypetalous polyandrous hypogynous families with a 

 plurilooular ovary (see Sypericinecs and Quttiferm). They scarcely differ from JBixinew, to which they 

 are united by Coohlospei-mea, except in their ovary with perfect cells, and their exstipulate leaves. They 

 approach Dipterooarpe(s in the polysepalous calyx, the polypetalous hypogynous corolla with imbricate 

 sestivation, the polyandry, the several-celled ovary which is broadly sessile or slightly buried in the torus, 

 the exalbuminous seed, the woody stem and the alternate leaves ; but Dipferocarpece are separated by 

 their persistent and usually accrescent calyx, their one-celled and one-seeded fruit, their habit, and especi- 

 ally by their resinous juice. They have also some affinities with Tiliacece, which principally differ in the 

 valvate calyx. 2. With monopetalous families (see Eiidnem, Styracece and J^benacece). They are further 

 connected with Sapotece through Eurya and lernstrcemia, whose corolla is monopetalous, imbricate, diplo- 

 or ti-iplo-stemonous, the fruit a berry, the stem woody, and the leaves alternate and coriaceous; but 

 Sapotece have extrorse anthers. 



Camdliacim principally inhabit tropical America and eastern Asia ; very few are met with in North 

 America, and one species only ( Visnea Mocoanera) in the Canaries. 



Some species of Saurauja and Kielmeyera are mucilaginous and emollient. Oordonia contains an 

 astringent principle, and is used in tanning leather. The seeds of Camellia japonica, introduced into 

 Europe in 1739, are valued in eastern Asia on account of the fixed oil which they contain. Its leaves have 

 a slight tea-like scent. The most important species of this family is the Tea {TJiea cMnensis), which some 

 authors place in the genus Camellia. Two centuries have not elapsed since Tea was first used in Europe, 

 and the annual importation now exceeds twenty-two millions of pounds. The stimulating property 

 of Tea is due to an astringent principle, an azotized substance called theine, and especially a small 



