Definition

Noun: * The tea plant: Camellia sinensis is the botanical name for the evergreen shrub whose leaves and leaf buds are used to produce the beverage tea. It is characterized by glossy green leaves and fragrant white flowers.

Usage

• The term is used in scientific, agricultural, and commercial contexts to refer specifically to the plant species that is the source of all true tea (e.g., black, green, white, oolong).
• It distinguishes the tea plant from other, unrelated plants sometimes called "tea" (e.g., herbal teas like chamomile or rooibos).

Examples

• Scientific/Agricultural Context:
  • All true tea comes from the leaves of Camellia sinensis.
  • The climate and soil conditions greatly affect the flavor of the leaves from Camellia sinensis.
• General/Commercial Context:
  • This garden features several varieties of Camellia sinensis used for tea production.

Advanced Usage

• Varieties: The species has two main varieties often discussed: (Chinese tea plant, smaller leaves, more cold-tolerant) and (Assam tea plant, larger leaves, tropical).
  • The Darjeeling region cultivates the Camellia sinensis var. sinensis variety.

Variants and Related Words

• Tea plant: The common name for .
• Tea bush: Another common term, especially in agricultural settings.
• Camellia: The genus to which the tea plant belongs, which also includes many ornamental flowering shrubs.

Synonyms

• Tea plant
• Tea bush
• Tea shrub

Related Terms and Concepts

• Oxidation: A key processing step for leaves from that determines the type of tea (e.g., green tea is unoxidized, black tea is fully oxidized).
• Terroir: The complete natural environment (soil, climate, topography) in which a particular plant is grown, which influences the tea's character.
• Tisane: An herbal infusion made from plants other than ; not a true tea.

Noun

1. a tropical evergreen shrub or small tree extensively cultivated in e.g. China and Japan and India; source of tea leaves
   • tea has fragrant white flowers