THEACEAE

The 'Theaceae' is a family of flowering plants, composed of shrubs and trees recognizable by their serrated, usually glossy leaves. The Theaceae is part of order Ericales, in the branch of the dicots known as the Asterids. Some botanists include the family Ternstroemiaceae within the Theaceae^[1] while others do not.^[2]
Most of the genera are native to eastern Asia (Malesia north to Japan), with several genera in South America and Central America; three genera (''Franklinia'', ''Gordonia'' and ''Stewartia'') also have species native to the southeastern United States, with ''Franklinia'' being endemic there, and under recent interpretations, also ''Gordonia'' with the Asian species formerly included in that genus being transferred to ''Polyspora''.^[3]
Most of the genera have evergreen foliage, but ''Stewartia'' and ''Franklinia'' are deciduous.
The best known genus is ''Camellia'', which includes the plant whose leaves are used to produce tea (''Camellia sinensis''), as well as the several species grown widely for their flowers and handsome foliage.

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External links

External links

1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. ''Vascular Plant Families and Genera'': Theaceae
2. Watson, L., & Dallwitz, M. J. (1992 onwards). ''The families of flowering plants''. Theaceae
3. ''Flora of China'' Theaceae (draft)''