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ceased fo be Linné's ancient species-, why did not he give them names of 

 his own if ihey deserve to be retained at .ail? Indeed, those names through 

 continuous handling are rather grubby by this time. Is not Kochs „Assam 

 Theepflanze" synonymous with viridis Watt, is not his „Bohea" identical 

 with bo/iea + stricta Watt, is not parvifolia MiQ. probably identical with 

 sùicta Watt, is not stricta + diffusa Sieb. probably the same as bohea 

 LiNN is not stricta (Ait.) Hayne probably something différent from stricta 



SiFB 'and stricta Watt, is not and thus I might continue. 



The confusion is dreadful, nobody pays attention to his predecessors; 

 the moment has come for a radical cure, namely: to regard „t h e 

 tea-plant" asone species, to sweep away ail the 

 V a r i e t i e s a c c u m u 1 a t e d in i t, and t o recommence 

 better than before! 



I cannot, however, drop this subject without a thorough examination 

 of the views emitted by Sir George Watt, since this eminent naturalist 

 has more than anybody else made a profound study of the tea plant, its 

 varieties and its culture; and also because thèse ideas are materially 

 divergent from the current notions in this department. Not being quite 

 certain whether 1 interpreted them correctly, I hâve expressly asked 

 Sir Watt himself to elucidate some doubtful points to me. He kindly 

 complied, so that I think I may epitomize his theory and his arguments 

 in the subséquent wording: 



„There exist but two varieties proper of the tea plant, viz., vindis 

 Watt (large-leaved) and lasiocalyx Watt (or p//6^scfns Pierre, the Malacca 

 plant). From thèse the other varieties were derived by hybridization: 



1. viridis X lasiocalyx = stricta? 



2. viridis X stricta = bohea ! 



3. viridis (Manipur) X s^r/c/a = hybrid (Ceylon). 



„Ad ]. -Stricta having originated from the crossing of viridis with 

 lasiocalyx is not absolutely certain. It is though, probable ') that this cross 

 has taken place (as the var. stricta is only known in a cultivated state), 

 and that the hybrid stricta has wandered from its birthplace Malacca through 

 Burma towards Assam and Sikkim (it is frequently found in the Darjeeling 

 district). But on the other hand it is possible that stricta should be „a 

 distinct species", v^hich view is corroborated by the lack of intermediary 

 forms between stricta and viridis ;-boliea is such an intermediary form, it 

 is true, but this is a hybrid (cp. 2). 



„Ad 2. -Bohea having resulted from a cross between vzWc//s (Assam-tea) 

 with"s^A-/cto („China tea plant" of the British planters), is an established 

 fact^). Accordingly, the planters call it „hybrid tea". Only „as a matter of 



1) ,1 hâve never seen the Malacca and Penang plant growing and only 



,,guess at its influence." Letter of Dec. 3rd, 1915. 



2) ,',1 hâve personally seen hybrids directiy produced between viridis and stricta and 

 Ithese uniformly became the so-called hybrid Assam which in my opinion is Bo/zeû- 

 ,,or something very near that condition." Letter of Dec. 3rd. 1915. 



