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The Tea Plant

Thea sinensis vs Camellia sinensis

I am old fashioned. I still call the tea plant Thea sinensis even though it is a cultivated member of the Camellia family. Below is my reason:

The Royal Botanic Gardens, located in London, determined over 225 years ago that: "The effective publication of the generic name Thea L. dates from Linnacus’ Species Plantarum, page 515 (May, 1753), whereas, Camellia L., was published in Species Plantarum, page 698 (August, 1753). The tea plant should, therefor, be called Thea Sinensis L. as this was the first name given to the species.

To recap, then, the botanical classification of the tea plant as it was originally stated is:

DIVISION ANGIOSPERMAE
CLASS DICOTYLEDONES
ORDER PARIETALES
FAMILY THEACEAE
GENUS THEA
SPECIES SINENSIS
VARITAL 267,000 SEPARATE ONES

 

 

The Tea Man


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