Tea family
Description
A family of shrubs and trees, occurring mainly in the tropics and subtropics and centred in America and Asia (C. sinensis 1).
The alternate leaves are simple, leathery and often evergreen.The flowers are mostly solitary, showy, regular, with 5 - 7 sepals and petals and numerous stamens which are free, in bundles or in a tube (C. sinensis 3). The ovary is superior. The fruit is a capsule or a berry with a persistant calyx.
There are about 20 genera.
Use
The genus Camellia is known for its ornamentals, but economically most valuable for the tea plant.
Described species
Camellia sinensis, tea plant