Schima
(said to be the Arabic name). ORD. Ternstromiaceae. A small genus (about four species) of stove trees or shrubs, inhabiting tropical Asia and the Indian Archipelago. Flowers showy, bibracteolate; sepals five, scarcely unequal, petals five, much larger, connate at base, closely imbricated; stamens numerous; peduncles one-flowered, frequently erect, solitary in the axils, or the upper ones clustered in a short raceme. Leaves perennial. The only species introduced thrives in a peaty soil, and is propagated by cuttings inserted in sandy peat, in bottom heat.
S. Noronhae (Noronha's). fl. white; sepals very concave; petals obovate, spreading; stamens very numerous; peduncles solitary, axillary, single-flowered, shorter than the leaves. August and September. l. alternate, elliptic-lanceolate, acuminated, entire, penninerved, tapering into a short petiole. Branches terete. A compact-growing shrub. Tropical Asia, 1849. (B. M. 4539, under name of Gordonia javanica.) SYN. S. superba. S. superba (superb). A synonym of S. Noronhoe.