TEA 



441 



THEA. Tea. The prepared leaves and leafbuds of Thea sinensis 

 viridis and Thea sinensis Bohea (Fam. Theacese), shrubs or trees with 

 alternate, evergreen leaves. The Tea tree is indigenous to eastern 

 Asia, and is now extensively cultivated in China, Japan, India, 

 Java, Brazil, Sicily, . Portugal and France, and to some extent in the 

 southern United States (Fig. 193). 



The fresh leaves of Thea do not have the properties which char- 

 acterize the commercial article, the aroma and other qualities being 

 developed after special treatment. Two general classes of tea are 



FIG. 193. A, Tea plantation at Summerville, S. C. From Bulletin 234, Bureau 

 of Plant Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



found in commerce, these depending on the mode of treatment. 

 Those which are rapidly dried by means of artificial heat constitute 

 GREEN TEA. The leaves which are slowly dried, permitting fer- 

 mentation to set in, furnish BLACK TEA. 



Description. Usually in more or less crumpled masses; when 

 entire, nearly elliptical or oblong lanceolate, short petiolate, from 2 

 to 10 cm. in length; summit acute; base nearly spatulate, tapering 

 into the short petiole, margin serrate or nearly entire; greenish or 

 blackish-green, upper surface glabrous, lower surface smooth or hairy; 



