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Camellia sinensis
Camellia sinensis Young, fragrant leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis).

Theaceae

plant family
Also known as: Ternstroemiaceae, tea family
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Theaceae, the tea family of plants in the order Theales. The Theaceae comprises about 40 genera of trees or shrubs native to temperate and tropical regions of both hemispheres, including several ornamental plants, one that is the source of tea. Members of the family have evergreen leaves and flowers with five sepals (leaflike structures) and petals and numerous stamens inserted at the base of the ovary. The Camellia (q.v.; formerly Thea) genus includes the tea plant of commerce and many popular ornamental flowering shrubs. Plants of the genera Franklinia, Gordonia, and Stewartia bear camellia-like white blooms, often with purple or yellow-orange stamens.

Three members of the genus Eurya, from East Asia, are slow-growing, low foundation plants. They have small yellow-green flowers and glossy leaves with prominent, sunken veins. A similar species, Cleyera japonica, has fragrant, creamy-white blooms followed by dark red, puffy berries. Ternstroemia japonica, a small Asian tree, bears slightly fragrant flowers among bronze-coloured, red-stalked leaves.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.
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Camellia
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Camellia japonica
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Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap
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tea. tea production. Camellia. Dried tea leaves in tea bag from tea plantation seeping in hot water in clear cup of tea. mug of tea. Camellia sinensis
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Camellia japonica
Camellia japonica

Camellia

plant genus
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Camellia, genus of about 250 species of East Asian evergreen shrubs and trees belonging to the tea family (Theaceae), most notable for a few ornamental flowering species and for Camellia sinensis (sometimes called Thea sinensis), the source of tea.

The common camellia (C. japonica) is well known, particularly for its double (many-petaled) cultivated varieties, whose overlapping petals range in colour from white through pink to red and variegated. In the wild form, five to seven petals surround a mass of yellow stamens, with sepals dropping as the petals open. The tree has glossy green oval leaves, usually about 10 cm (4 inches) long, and reaches a height of about 9 metres (30 feet).

A similar but shorter species, C. reticulata, has flowers up to 15 cm (6 inches) wide and dull green leaves. C. sasanqua, a loose straggling shrub with slightly fragrant flowers that are 5 cm (2 inches) wide, can tolerate dryness and alkaline soils. It blooms in autumn and frequently is grown as a wall or hedge plant.

Venus's-flytrap. Venus's-flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) one of the best known of the meat-eating plants. Carnivorous plant, Venus flytrap, Venus fly trap
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Plants: From Cute to Carnivorous

The tea plant (C. sinensis) reaches 9 metres (30 feet) but in cultivation is kept to a low mounded shrub, often pruned back to encourage development of young leaves. The flowers are fragrant, yellow-centred, white, and about 4 cm (1.6 inches) wide. See also tea.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
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