3112 
THE SADIYA PLANT THE GENUINE TEA OF CHINA. 
Hindustan, and that these were indigenous 
in our north eastern frontier provinces 
Taking into consideration the close affinity 
between the two genera, they were disposed to 
expect that the alleged tree would prove no- 
thing else, but some sortof camellia. Having 
obtained however the fruit of the Sadiya plant 
they were able to state with certainty that 
it was a genuine tea — th" identical tea of 
China, which is the exclusive source of all the 
varieties and shades of the tea of commerce. 
The following sketch exhibits the peculiari- 
ties in the structure of the fruit on which 
depends entirely the difference between the 
tea and camellia. We give the sketch with 
explanatory remarks, in order that our 
readers now in Rambree and Sandoway may 
be able to extend their researches. 
Memorandum explanatory of the sketches which 
accompany the report of the Committee of 
Tea Culture, 
There is no danger of mistaking any plant 
for the tea except the camellia. Both are 
very closely allied to each other in general 
appearance, in the form of their leaves, and the 
structure of the flowers. It is by the charac- 
ter of the fruit alone that they can be satisfac- 
torily distinguished for practical purposes, in 
that respect the two genera differ very widely. 
In both the fruit consists of a roundish, 
more or less triangular, dry capsule, of three 
distinct cells, containing one solitary seed or 
nut. At the period of maturity the dehiscence 
or bursting takes place vertically, by means 
of three fissures, extending from the top of 
the capsule towards its base. So far their 
ca])sules are precisely alike ; the following 
are the points of difference. 
In the tea, the capsule is more or less deep- 
ly divided luto three globular lobes, sometimes 
appearing as if it consisted of three round 
capsules united into one. The general outline 
is therefore always decidedly triaiigular, with 
extremely obtuse corneas. The bursting 
proceeds along the middle of the lobes or 
angles, when a large seed is discovered 
through each aperture enclosed on all sides 
within its proper cell, which cell is in fact 
formed by the corresponding lobe of the fruit. 
By this process six valves are, properly speak- 
ing, formed, (and not three, as they are gene- 
rally counted,) each lobe splitting into two 
hemispherical valves. The partitions alter- 
nate with the lobes, and are formed by the 
sides of two adjoining cells being, asitwere, 
glued together, and extending to the axis of 
the capsule, from which they at length com- 
pletely detach ihsmselves, when it disappears 
altogether. The seeds or nuts are almost 
globular. 
In camellia the capsule is very obscurely 
triangular without any tendency to become 
deeply three-iobed. It bursts along the 
middle of each side (consequently alternately 
with the corners) into three very distinct j 
yaives, each of which belongs to two adjoin- j' 
ing cells, because the three partitions originate I 
lengthwise from the middle of the respective j'l 
valves, and are therefore opposite or contrary |j 
to these, converging fiom thence to the tri- I 
angular axis, fiom which they gradually I 
separate, leaving it finally unconnected and i 
free. The seeds are of an oval oblong shape, 
smaller than those of the tea. 
The preceding remarks are made with re- 
ference chiefly to the Assam tea and the Nipal i 
camellia; and purposely without technical 
precision, the object being simply to convey 1 
a general idea of the structure of the two j 
sorts of fruit. But they admit of being applied ij 
to all other instances of comparison between 1| 
nrfjntiro in nnootinn ii 
