English: Thee.
Names: Camelliaceae.
Genera: 7 genera; 40 species; Apterosperma, Camellia, Dankia, Eurya, Franklinia, Gordonia, Laplacea, Polyspora, Pyrenaria, Schima, Stewartia, Tutcheria.
Botany: shrubs and trees; simple, serrated, glossy, alternate leaves, toothed margins; flowers pink or white, large and showy, strong scent, five-merous; 20-100+ stamen; pseudopollen; ovary often hairy and narrows gradually into the style, branched or cleft; carpels opposite the petals; fruits are loculicidal capsules, indehiscent baccate fruits or sometimes pomes; seeds sometimes winged.
TaxonomyIn the
Apg3 classification Theaceae is a
Family in
Ericales. In older taxonomies
Theaceae gave the name to the Order Theales, which had different Families depending on the classification. Some botanists include the family
Ternstroemiaceae within the
Theaceae.
In the
Plant theory Theaceae is placed in
Phase 5 of the
Ericales, in
Subphase 3.