


OF ORNAMENTAL EXOTIC PLANTS. 43 
GENUS III. 
CAMELLIA Lin. THE CAMELLIA. 
Lin. Syst. MONADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. 
Generic Cuaracter.—Calyx imbricate, surrounded by accessory | the middle of each valve, separating from the free triquetrous axis 
bracteas or sepals. Stamens monadelphous. Anthers elliptical, two- | when ripe. Cells one or two-seeded. (G. Don.) 
celled, bursting lengthwise. Capsule furrowed, with a dissepiment in 
The Camellias, as is well known, are evergreen shrubs with dark green shining leathery 

Description, &c. 
leaves, and large flowers resembling a rose. Most of the kinds common in British greenhouses are varieties of 
one species, Camellia japonica. The name of this genus was given in honour of Father Kamel, a Moravian 
Jesuit who travelled in China, and whose name in Latin becomes Camellus. 
1.—CAMELLIA JAPONICA Zin. THE COMMON CAMELLIA, OR JAPAN ROSE. 
Synonymes.—Rosa sinensis Zhunb.; Thea rosea Pet.; Tsubaki Speciric Cuaracter.—Leaves ovate, acuminate, acutely serrated. 
Kemp. Flowers axillary, sessile, usually solitary. Ovary smooth. (@, Don.) 
Encravines.—Bot, Mag., t. 42; and our fig. 1, in Pl. 12. 
Description, &c.—The Camellia japonica was first brought to England in the year 1739, and it was 
introduced by Robert Lord Petre, a great patron of botany of those days. When the Camellia was first received 
by this nobleman, he had it placed in his hothouse at Thorndon Hall, in Essex, fancying, as it was a native of 
Japan, that it would require a considerable degree of heat in this country. Notwithstanding, however, that this 
stove had great advantages (for it was not only of very considerable size, but contained beds of earth like a 
conservatory), the heat was too great for the Camellias, and the two that Lord Petre had imported, died. 
The single red was re-imported in 1792, and being placed in a greenhouse, flowered beautifully. As Thunberg, 
in his Flora Japonica, had spoken copiously of this plant, which he described as a large and tall tree, and 
mentioned that it had a great many varieties in the groves and gardens of Japan, the attention of collectors was 
directed towards them, and a gentleman connected with the India House (John Slater, Esq.), procured the 
double white and variegated red from China. These plants were brought home in the year 1793, by Captain 
Connor, in the Carnatic East Indiaman. Thunberg’s assertion respecting the large size of the Camellia in its 
natural state, is corroborated by Mr. Fortune, who met with several specimens of the single red variety, twenty or 
thirty feet in height, with stems thick in proportion, growing wild in the woods of Poo-to-san in China. 
The success which attended the importation of these plants, induced persons fond of gardening to procure 
others; and the next that was imported was the double red, which was procured by Sir Robert Preston, of 
Valleyfield, in Perthshire. From this time an immense number of Camellias have been brought from China, 
among the most beautiful of which may be mentioned the Waratah, or Anemone-flowered Camellia, C. 7. anemone- 
flora (see jig. 4, in Pl. 12), and the fringed white, C. j. fimbriata. C.j. Welbankii, and C. j. pomponia (see fig. 8, 
in Pl. 12), were introduced by Captain Welbank. The single white was not introduced till 1818. In addition to 
the varieties of Camellia imported from China, several very beautiful ones have been originated in this country, as 
examples of which may be mentioned C. j. Chandleri (see fig. 2, in Pl. 12), C. j. corallina, C. j. punctata, and C. 
J. Pressit. All the varieties of Camellia japonica are very nearly hardy, particularly the single red. They should 
be grown in light loam, or loam and peat. The pots should be half-filled with pieces of potsherds, in order 
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