Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze var. assamica (Royle ex Hook.) Steenis, Fl. Scholen. Indon. 280. 1949.

Zhao, Dongwei, 2024, Taxonomic revision of Camellia (Theaceae) in Thailand, PhytoKeys 239, pp. 29-57 : 29

6. Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze var. assamica (Royle ex Hook.) Steenis, Fl. Scholen. Indon. 280. 1949.

Thea assamica ≡ Thea assamica Royle ex Hook., Kew Gardens 28. 1847. Neotype (designated by Mabberley [2021: 1354]): India. Assam, January-February 1836, W. Griffith s.n. (K 000939670!).

Thea = Thea cochinchinensis Lour., Fl. Cochinch. 1: 338. 1790. Neotype (designated by Zhao et al. [2017b: 1453]): Vietnam. Yen Bai: Bao Ha, 21 February 1936, E. Poilane 25282 (P 04511587! Image: https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/p04511587).

Camellia theifera = Camellia theifera Griff., Trans. Agric. Soc. India. 5: t. C. 1838. Lectotype (designated by Zhao et al. [2017b: 1453]): India. Upper Assam, W. Griffith s.n. (TCD 0017977!).

Thea = Thea yersinii A. Chev. ex Gagnep., Fl. Indo-Chine [P.H. Lecomte et al.], Suppl. 1: 310. 1943 (" Thea yersini"). Lectotype (designated by Zhao et al. [2017b: 1453]): Vietnam. Khanh Hoa: Massif du Hὸn bà, province de Nhatrang, 1000-1500 m, 12 September 1918, A. Chevalier 38684 (P 02142599! Image: https://science.mnhn.fr/institution/mnhn/collection/p/item/p02142599).

Camellia multisepala = Camellia multisepala Hung T. Chang & Y.J. Tan, Acta Sci. Nat. Univ. Sunyatseni 23(1): 11. 1984. Holotype: China. Yunnan: Mengla, Xiangming, cultivated, 1050 m, 3 December 1982, Y.J. Tan & S.C. Ma A31002 (SYS 00095167!).

Camellia polyneura = Camellia polyneura Hung T. Chang & Y.J. Tan, Acta Sci. Nat. Univ. Sunyatseni 23(1): 10. 1984. Holotype: China. Yunnan: Luchun, Qimaba, in tea garden, 1400 m, 18 November 1982, Y.J. Tan & S.C. Ma A26001 (SYS 00090671!).

Camellia sinensis = Camellia sinensis var. kucha Hung T. Chang & Ping S. Wang, Acta Sci. Nat. Univ. Sunyatseni 23(1): 10. 1984. Holotype: China. Yunnan: Jinping, Tongchang, 1371 m, 11 November 1982, B.H. Chen & Y.J. Yang A22003 (SYS 00095188!).

Camellia tenuistipa = Camellia tenuistipa Orel, Curry & Luu, Pursuit Hidden Camellias Vietnam China: 263. 2015. Holotype: Vietnam. Gia Lai: Kon Ka Kinh National Park, 22 Jan 2011, H.T. Luu & Q.D. Nguyen KKK 221 (NSW 901734, image!).

Description.

Trees or shrubs up to 20 m tall. New branchlets puberulous or pubescent, terminal buds pubescent or puberulous. Petioles 2-9 mm long, puberulous; leaf blades elliptic, oblong or obovate, 8-29 × 3.5-10 cm, coriaceous, abaxially yellowish green, puberulous, especially along midrib, adaxially dark green, shiny, midrib abaxially elevated and adaxially slightly raised or flat, secondary veins 7-15 on each side of midrib, abaxially slightly elevated and adaxially slightly impressed or flat, base cuneate or attenuate, margin serrulate, apex attenuate or acuminate. Flowers solitary or up to 4 in a cluster, 2-3.5 cm in diam. Pedicels 4-14 mm long, slender or gradually swollen towards the top, bracteoles 2-3, alternate, caducous. Sepals 5, persistent, sub-orbicular or broadly ovate, 3-4.5 × 3-5 mm, abaxially glabrous, adaxially sericeous, margin ciliolate. Petals 5-7 in 1-2 whorls, white or outer 1-3 petals with a tinge of green at apex, obovate, elliptic or rounded, 1-2.5 × 1-2 cm, glabrous on both surfaces. Stamens numerous in 3-5 whorls, 7-16 mm long, filaments pale yellow, glabrous, outer filaments basally adnate to petals for 1-3 mm. Ovary oblate or globose, pubescent. Style 1, 6-15 mm long, glabrous or gradually becoming glabrous upwards, apically (2-)3(-4)-lobed for 1-3 mm. Capsule oblate, bi-coccal or globose, 1.5-4.5 cm in diam., 1-2 cm in height, 1-3-loculed with 1-3 seeds; pericarp 0.5-1.5 mm thick. Seeds brown or fuscous, globose, hemispherical or polyhedral, 1.2-2 cm in diam., glabrous Fig. 8 .

Phenology.

Flowering September-January, fruiting February-December.

Distribution and habitat.

Camellia sinensis var. assamica occurs in the evergreen and semi-deciduous forests at the elevations of 200-2700 m in China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand (Fig. 2 ) and Vietnam.

Additional specimens examined.

Chiang Mai: Chiang Dao, 25 November 1963, Bunchuai 1359 (BKF SN060849, C, K); Khun Awn, 900 m, 30 January 1921, Kerr 4726 (BK 203758, BM, K); Mae On, Huai Kaeo, trail along Mae Kampong Waterfall, 1100 m, 7 September 2011, Pooma et al. 7791 (BKF SN196689); Mae On, Jae Son, 18°51'20"N, 99°22'1"E, 1500 m, 28 May 2011, Pooma & Pattharahirantricin 7729 (BKF SN196803); Mae Taeng, Mae Taman, 1300 m, 27 September 1994, Nanakorn et al. 1808 (QBG 1808); Mueang Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep, 1050 m, 7 November 1987, Maxwell 87-1378 (BKF SN060836), 15 July 1988, Maxwell 88-875 (BKF SN209981), 1 June 1993, Maxwell 93-522 (BKF SN169943, BKF SN192202, CMUB 02747), 18 September 1995, Kopachon s169b1 (BM, CMUB 07853).

Chiang Rai: Wiang Kaen, 600 m, 26 December 2009, Pongamornkul 2806 (QBG 51200).

Loei: Dan Sai, Pu Lom Lo, 1500 m, 8 April 1922, Kerr 5780 (BK 203759, BM, K); Phu Kradueng, 16°53'-54'N, 101°47'-49'E, 1150-1250 m, November 1984, Murata et al. T-42519 (BKF SN060857) & T-42796 (BKF SN060856), 1160-1180 m, 2 September 1988, Fukuoka T-63807 (BKF SN103447); Phurea, Phuluang, 17°18'N, 101°30'E, 1070-1100 m, 4 November 2015, Zhao et al. 37-41 (BKF, TCD); Na Haeo, Phu Suan Sai, 10 February 2004, Pornpongrungrueng 441 (KKU), 1300 m, 16 May 2006, Maknoi 850 (QBG 27664), 14 May 2008, Maknoi & Srisanga 2185 (BKF SN190334, QBG 38413), 2 September 2008, Maknoi 2738 (BKF SN191010, QBG 40367), 3 September 2008, Maknoi 2806 (BKF SN188351, QBG 40435), 17°30'N, 100°56'E, 1300-1330 m, 6 November 2015, Zhao et al. 49, 50, 52 & 54 (BKF, TCD), Zhao et al. 51 & 53 (TCD).

Mae Hong Son: Mae Sariang, Wat Chan, Ban Den, 988 m, 29 April 2014, Norsaengsri 10930 (QBG 77549).

Nakhon Sawan: Khao Pado, 4 June 1922, Kerr s.n. (BK 203756).

Nan: Tha Wang Pha, 19°04'N, 100°40'E, 1100 m, 23 July 1992, Larsen et al. 43513 (BKF); Song Khwae, Tham Sokoen, 19°23'3"N, 100°31'5"E, 1210 m, 30 November 2011, Laongsri et al. 1957 (QBG 56767).

Phayao: Mueang Phayao, Doi Luang, 625 m, 19 November 1997, Petrmitr 148 (CMUB 13047).

Phitsanulok: Chat Trakan, Phu Miang-Phu Thong, 800 m, 18 February 2010, Romklao Botanical Garden 0005/2553 (QBG 59399); Nakhon Thai, Phu Hin Rong Kla, 16°59'38"N, 101°0'9"E, 1300 m, Zhao et al. 72 (BKF, TCD); Phu Rom Rot, one of the peaks of Phu Miang, 1200-1600 m, 3 October 1967, Shimizu et al. T-11514 (BKF SN060844, K) & T-11515 (BKF SN060845), 1200-1650 m, 4 October 1967, Shimizu et al. T-11653 (BKF SN060843, K).

Notes.

The nomenclature of C. sinensis var. assamica has been clarified in recent studies ( Zhao et al. 2017b; Mabberley 2021; a review in Chinese see Zhao 2022a). Thea assamica was not validly published in Masters (1844) but later validated in Hooker (1847). Steenis (1949), rather than Kitamura (1950), firstly proposed the name at new rank, C. sinensis var. assamica . Zhao et al. (2017b) provided a detailed description of Assam tea, which is supplied above with adjustments to meet the requirements of a taxonomic revision here ( Maxted 1992).

As an important resource of commercial tea, Assam tea is widely cultivated in the tropical areas of the world. Local Thai people collected natural seeds or seedlings and planted them around houses to use the new branchlets or leaves as a vegetable or fermented beverage ( Khanongnuch et al. 2017; Zhao 2022a).

Figures

Figure 2. Distribution of Camellia taxa in Thailand: C. caudata (Pink square), C. connata (Purple star), C. furfuracea (Pink plus), C. kissi (Blue dot), C. kissi var. confusa (Brown diamond), C. laotica (Red star), C. sinensis var. assamica (Green triangle), C. suddeeana (Red dot) and C. taliensis (Blue plus).

Figure 8. Camellia sinensis var. assamica A habitat B branchlets with flowers and flower buds, adaxial surface of leaves C branchlets with flower and fruit, abaxial surface of leaves D a dissected flower E a flower without petals, androecium and a half sepal. Scale bars: 3 cm (B); 5 mm (E). The minimum graduation of the rulers in C, D represents 1 mm.