642 : ORD. XXXIX. Tiicocce. THEA. 
This shrub is a native of China and Japan, and (according to Mr. 
- Aiton) was first introduced into this country in 1768 by John Ellis, 
Esq. who raised it from seed, and presented it to the King’s 
gardener at Kew. But we are told that the Tea-plant which 
first flowered in Europe, belonged to his Grace the Duke of 
Northumberland, at Sion-house. 
All the various kinds of Tea imported here come under the 
denomination of Bohea and Green, and even these are supposed 
to be the produce of the same species of the plant. Linnzeus 
however has described them as specifically different, founding the 
distinction in the number of their petals. Others have also 
observed, that the leaves of Tea plants differ considerably both 
in form and colour, and this difference we have frequently noticed 
in the Tea growing in the vicinity of London; but whether these 
which the gardeners sell by the name of Bohea and Green Tea 
plants are to be regarded as permanent varieties, or distinct 
Species, we have not the means to decide. De Loureiro* has 
described three species of Thea, viz. Thea cochinchinensis, Thea 
cantonensis, and Thea oleosa. The first is a native of Cochin-China, 
where it is also cultivated, and used medicinally in hot weather 
as a sudorific and refrigerant. The Thea oleosa grows wild in the 
neighbourhood of Canton, where an oil obtained from its seed 
is used for various domestic purposes. The Thea cantonensis, 
which Loureiro carefully examined in its native soil, was found to 
bear a close resemblance to another variety called Siao chong ché, 
and by the Europeans Souchong. Both these are brown, but more 
fragrant and valuable than the common green Tea, which grows in 
the province of Fo kien. Notwithstanding that this author has 
described the three species of Thea above mentioned, he says that 
on examining the dried flowers of the green Tea, brought from the 
province of Kiang si, he observed a great diversity in the number 
of the parts of the calyx and corolla: hence he concludes that all 
the various Chinese Teas are taken from the same botanical species, 
* Flor. Cochinchinesis. 
