Fig. 427.—Hypericum. Flower with three bundles of stamens.
Order 12. Hypericaceæ (St. John’s-worts). This order is recognised by its always opposite or verticillate, simple, and entire, penninerved leaves, without stipules, and usually dotted with pellucid glands; by the always ☿, regular, hypogynous flowers in a cymose inflorescence; the generally 5-merous calyx and corolla, with sepals and petals free; the stamens 3–5, numerously branched (Figs. [426], [427]); and the gynœceum, 3–5-carpellate, styles usually free. The ovary is 3–5-locular, or unilocular with 3–5 parietal placentæ. Fruit a capsule (dehiscing septicidally) or berry. Endosperm absent.
The inflorescence is a dichasium or helicoid cyme. The structure of the flowers is the same as that of the foregoing orders: S5, P5; succeeding these in some cases are two 5-merous whorls of stamens in regular alternation, of which the inner is epipetalous; but the outer whorl is only represented by 5 small scales (Fig. [427]), or is altogether absent (Hypericum calycinum, H. hircinum), and the inner divided into numerous stamens, that is, these 5 stamens are so deeply divided that 5 epipetalous groups bearing anthers are found (as in the Cistaceæ); in other cases the flower becomes 3-merous after the petals, stamens 3 + 3 following in regular alternation (Figs. [426], [427]), the outer whorl of stamens in these cases is also present as staminodes (Fig. [427]), or may be altogether suppressed. Carpels 3–5. The petals are often twisted in the bud, and are then oblique.
Hypericum. Some species have a square stem; in these cases the leaves are placed opposite the edges. Fruit a capsule.—Vismia has a berry.—The flowers of Hypericum have no honey, and supply only pollen; self-pollination often takes place.
About 240 species; the tropical ones being often shrubs or trees; the others generally perennial shrubs.—Hypericum, St. John’s-wort, contains a resinous, red matter, which can be extracted with alcohol. The American gamboge is the dried sap of species of Vismia.
Order 13. Guttiferæ, or Clusiaceæ. Closely allied to the Hypericaceæ and Ternstrœmiaceæ. Leaves opposite or verticillate. The flowers are often unisexual; stamens united; the gynœceum has most frequently a sessile, radiating or shield-like stigma.
370 species; chiefly in the Tropics (Am.). They are principally woody plants and their bark contains a yellow gum resin, “gamboge,” which is extracted from Garcinia morella (E. Ind.) and others. Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana S.E. Asia), and Mammea americana (W. Ind.), have very delicious fruits. To this order also belong Platonia insignis, Pentadesma butyracea (the Butter-tree), Clusia, Calophyllum, Cataba, etc.
Order 14. Ternstrœmiaceæ. Trees and shrubs with scattered, simple, and often more or less leathery, evergreen, penninerved leaves, without stipules (Fig. [428]). The two most important genera are: Camellia and the closely allied Thea (by some authorities these are united into one genus). The flowers are regular, hypogynous, and situated singly on very short stalks. A number of green floral-leaves are placed below the calyx and gradually pass over into the sepals, and the leaves (5–6) of the calyx again gradually pass over into the corolla (this being especially marked in Camellia), of which the number of leaves varies (5, 6, 7 and upwards); the calyx and the corolla are acyclic or eucyclic; the petals are slightly united at the base; stamens numerous in many whorls, the external ones are arranged in bundles and united with the petals as in the Columniferæ; gynœceum syncarpous; styles often free nearly to the base; ovary 3–5-locular, ovules numerous in each loculus. The fruit is a woody capsule.—Other genera show more distinctly than these the same structure as in the preceding orders, namely: S5, P5, A5 + 5, of which the calyx-stamens are often suppressed, and the petal-stamens divided into numerous stamens.—Kielmeyera (S. Am.)
260 species; especially in the Tropics (E. Asia, Am.) The leaves of Thea chinensis (or Camellia thea), the Tea-tree (E. Asia), are cultivated for the well-known “tea,” and contain theine: the best are the young, still hairy leaves, of greyish colour; there are many varieties. Ornamental plants, Camellia japonica and Actinidia.