Theaceae

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Theaceae
Tea Camellia sinensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Theaceae
Mirb. (1816)[1]
Genera

See text

Synonyms

Camelliaceae[2]

Theaceae (

camellias. It can be described as having from seven to 40 genera, depending on the source and the method of circumscription used. The family Ternstroemiaceae has been included within Theaceae;[3][4] however, the APG III system of 2009 places it instead in Pentaphylacaceae.[5] Most but not all species are native
to China and East Asia.

Family traits

Plants in this family are characterized by simple leaves that are alternate spiral to distich, serrated, and usually glossy. Most of the genera have

baccate fruits or sometimes pome-like. The seeds are few and sometimes winged, or in some genera covered by fleshy tissue or unwinged and nude.[4][6]

Genera

Eight genera are currently accepted:[1]

The fossil Pentapetalum trifasciculandricus, about 91 million years old, may belong to the Theaceae or the Pentaphylacaceae.[8]

Distribution

Members of the family are found in Southeast Asia and Malesia, tropical South America and the Southeast United States. Three genera (Franklinia, Gordonia and Stewartia) have species native to the Southeast United States, with Franklinia being endemic there, and under some interpretations, also Gordonia with the Asian species formerly included in that genus being transferred to Polyspora.[9]

Biochemistry

There is distinctive chemistry within the family Theaceae. Sometimes, single crystals of calcium oxalate are present in Theaceous plants.

artificial selection by humans for these characters. Triterpenes and their glycosides (saponins) are found widely throughout the family in the seeds, leaves, wood and bark. Plants in this family are also known to accumulate aluminum and fluoride.[4]

Economic importance

The best known genus is Camellia, which includes the plant whose leaves are used to produce tea (Camellia sinensis). In parts of Asia, other species are used as a beverage, including C. taliensis, C. grandibractiata, C. kwangsiensis, C. gymnogyna, C. crassicolumna, C. tachangensis, C. ptilophylla, and C. irrawadiensis.[10] Several species are grown widely as ornamentals for their flowers and handsome foliage.

References

  1. ^ a b Theaceae Mirb. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  2. ^ Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) entry for Camelliaceae Archived 2012-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Vascular Plant Families and Genera: Theaceae Archived 1997-01-02 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b c Watson, L., & Dallwitz, M. J. (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. Theaceae
  5. .
  6. ^ a b Stevens, P.F. (2004). "Clusiaceae". In Kubitzki, K. (ed.). Flowering Plants. The families and genera of vascular plants. Springer.
  7. S2CID 85382072
    .
  8. ^ Stevens, P.F., "Theaceae", Angiosperm Phylogeny Website, retrieved 2014-09-18
  9. ^ Flora of China "Theaceae (draft)"
  10. .