Theaceae (/θiˈeɪsii/), the tea family, is a family of flowering plants comprising shrubs and trees, including the economically important tea plant, and the ornamental 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.
Plants in this family are characterized by simple leaves that are alternate spiral to distich, serrated, and usually glossy. Most of the genera have evergreen foliage, but Stewartia and Franklinia are deciduous. The toothed margins are generally associated with a characteristic Theoid leaf tooth, which is crowned by a glandular, deciduous tip.[6] The flowers in this family are usually pink or white and large and showy, often with a strong scent.[7] The calyx consists of five or more sepals, which are often persistent in the fruiting stage, and the corolla is five-merous, rarely numerous. Plants in Theaceae are multistaminate, usually with 20-100+ stamen either free or adnate to the base of the corolla, and are also distinctive because of the presence of pseudopollen. The pseudopollen is produced from connective cells, and has either rib-like or circular thickenings. The ovary is often hairy and narrows gradually into the style, which may be branched or cleft. The carpels are typically opposite from the petals, or the sepals in the case of Camellia. The fruits are loculicidal capsules, indehiscent 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]
The fossil Pentapetalum trifasciculandricus, about 91 million years old, may belong to the Theaceae or the Pentaphylacaceae.[8]
DistributionEdit
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]
BiochemistryEdit
There is distinctive chemistry within the family Theaceae. Sometimes, single crystals of calcium oxalate are present in Theaceous plants. Ellagic acid and common polyphenols including flavonols, flavones and proanthocyanins are widely distributed throughout the family. Gallic acid and catechins only occur in Camellia sect. Thea (C. sinensis, C. taliensis and C. irrawadiensis.) Caffeine and its precursors theobromine and theophylline are only found in sect. Thea and are not found in other species of Camellia or other Theaceae. Caffeine content in the tea bush makes up 2.5-4% of the leaf's dry weight, and this high content of catechins and caffeine in the tea bush is the result of 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 importanceEdit
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.
^Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN) entry for Camelliaceae 2012-10-08 at the Wayback Machine
^Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Vascular Plant Families and Genera: Theaceae 1997-01-02 at the Wayback Machine
^ abcWatson, L., & Dallwitz, M. J. (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants. Theaceae
^Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III (2009). "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 161 (2): 105–121. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x.
^ abStevens, P.F. (2004). "Clusiaceae". In Kubitzki, K. (ed.). Flowering Plants. The families and genera of vascular plants. Springer.
^Luna, I.; Ochoterena, H. (2004). "Phylogenetic relationships of the genera of Theaceae based on morphology". Cladistics. 20 (3): 223–270. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2004.00024.x. PMID 34892936. S2CID 85382072.
theaceae, family, family, flowering, plants, comprising, shrubs, trees, including, economically, important, plant, ornamental, camellias, described, having, from, seven, genera, depending, source, method, circumscription, used, family, ternstroemiaceae, been, . Theaceae 8 i ˈ eɪ s i i the tea family is a family of flowering plants comprising shrubs and trees including the economically important tea plant and the ornamental 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 TheaceaeTea Camellia sinensisScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade AsteridsOrder EricalesFamily TheaceaeMirb 1816 1 GeneraSee textSynonymsCamelliaceae 2 Contents 1 Family traits 2 Genera 3 Distribution 4 Biochemistry 5 Economic importance 6 ReferencesFamily traits EditPlants in this family are characterized by simple leaves that are alternate spiral to distich serrated and usually glossy Most of the genera have evergreen foliage but Stewartia and Franklinia are deciduous The toothed margins are generally associated with a characteristic Theoid leaf tooth which is crowned by a glandular deciduous tip 6 The flowers in this family are usually pink or white and large and showy often with a strong scent 7 The calyx consists of five or more sepals which are often persistent in the fruiting stage and the corolla is five merous rarely numerous Plants in Theaceae are multistaminate usually with 20 100 stamen either free or adnate to the base of the corolla and are also distinctive because of the presence of pseudopollen The pseudopollen is produced from connective cells and has either rib like or circular thickenings The ovary is often hairy and narrows gradually into the style which may be branched or cleft The carpels are typically opposite from the petals or the sepals in the case of Camellia The fruits are loculicidal capsules indehiscent 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 EditEight genera are currently accepted 1 Apterosperma Hung T Chang Camellia L including Dankia Gagnep Piquetia Pierre H Hallier Thea L Yunnanea Hu Franklinia Marshall Gordonia Ellis including Laplacea Polyspora Sweet Pyrenaria Blume including Dubardella H J Lam Glyptocarpa Hu Parapyrenaria H T Chang Sinopyrenaria Hu Tutcheria Dunn Schima Blume Stewartia L including Hartia DunnThe fossil Pentapetalum trifasciculandricus about 91 million years old may belong to the Theaceae or the Pentaphylacaceae 8 Distribution EditMembers 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 EditThere is distinctive chemistry within the family Theaceae Sometimes single crystals of calcium oxalate are present in Theaceous plants Ellagic acid and common polyphenols including flavonols flavones and proanthocyanins are widely distributed throughout the family Gallic acid and catechins only occur in Camellia sect Thea C sinensis C taliensis and C irrawadiensis Caffeine and its precursors theobromine and theophylline are only found in sect Thea and are not found in other species of Camellia or other Theaceae Caffeine content in the tea bush makes up 2 5 4 of the leaf s dry weight and this high content of catechins and caffeine in the tea bush is the result of 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 EditThe 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 Edit a b Theaceae Mirb Plants of the World Online Retrieved 20 June 2023 Germplasm Resources Information Network GRIN entry for Camelliaceae Archived 2012 10 08 at the Wayback Machine Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Vascular Plant Families and Genera Theaceae Archived 1997 01 02 at the Wayback Machine a b c Watson L amp Dallwitz M J 1992 onwards The families of flowering plants Theaceae Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III 2009 An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants APG III Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161 2 105 121 doi 10 1111 j 1095 8339 2009 00996 x a b Stevens P F 2004 Clusiaceae In Kubitzki K ed Flowering Plants The families and genera of vascular plants Springer Luna I Ochoterena H 2004 Phylogenetic relationships of the genera of Theaceae based on morphology Cladistics 20 3 223 270 doi 10 1111 j 1096 0031 2004 00024 x PMID 34892936 S2CID 85382072 Stevens P F Theaceae Angiosperm Phylogeny Website retrieved 2014 09 18 Flora of China Theaceae draft Chang H T Bartholomew R C 1984 Camellias Portland OR Timber Press ISBN 9780917304811 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Theaceae amp oldid 1161142049, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
