Section：Thea
Conservation Status：Data Deficient
Remarks：This name is accepted
References：
Thea cochinchinensis Lour. Fl. Cochinch.: 338 (1790) Heterotypic Synonym
Thea assamica Royle ex Hook. Kew Gardens: 28 (1847) Heterotypic Synonym
Camellia theifera Griff. Not. Pl. Asiat. 4: 558 (1854) Heterotypic Synonym
Thea sinensis var. assamica Guilf. Cat. Pl. Melbourne: 158, 189 (1883) Heterotypic Synonym
Camellia thea var. lasiocalyx G.Watt J. Roy. Hort. Soc. 32: 79 (1907) Heterotypic Synonym
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» Description
Camellia sinensis var. assamica(Mast.)Kitamura, Acta Phytotax. et Geobot. Kyoto14:59. 1950, Subgenus Thea, Sect. Thea, Ser. Sinenses Chang, Acta Sci. Nat. Univ. Sunyatseni 1981(1):96. 1981. Chang Hung-ta and Bruce Bartholomew (1984). Camellias, p.149. Gao Jiyin, Clifford R. Parks, Du Yueqiang, 2005, Collected Species of the Genus Camellia an Illustrated Outline，p.224
[Description] Because the cultivated plants of var. assamica are hardly distinguishable from the wildforms of var. sinensis it is probable that var. assamica is the original wild tea. [Synonym]Thea assamica Mast., Journ. Agric. et Hort. Soc. India 3: 63. 1844. \Thea viridis var. assamica (Mast.)Choisy, Mem. Fam. Ternst. et Camell, 67. 1855. \For additional synonyms see Sealy, Rev. Gen. Camellia, 119. 1958.
Zhao (2024): Camellia sinensis var. assamica (Hook.) Steenis, Fl. Scholen Indon.: 280. 1949 ≡ Thea assamica Royle ex Hook., Kew Gardens. 28. 1847—Neotype (designated by Mabberley 2021: 1354): India. Assam, W. Griffith s.n. (K 000939670!, image: http://specimens.kew.org/herbarium/K000939670).
= 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 et al. A31002 (SYS 00095167!).
= 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 et al. A26001 (SYS 00090671!).
= 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 et al. A22003 (SYS 00095188!).
= Camellia tenuistipa Orel, Curry & Luu in Orel & Curry, Pursuit Hidden Camellias Vietnam China: 263. 2015—Holotype: Vietnam. Gia Lai: Kon Ka Kinh National Park, 22 January 2011, Luu & Nguyen KKK 221 (NSW 901734, image!).
Trees, leaf blade 8–29 cm × 3.5–10 cm, leaf apex attenuate or acuminate. Sepals glabrous outside, ovary pubescent. Fl. September to January, fr. July to December.
Distribution. China: Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan. India: Upper Assam. Laos: Champasak, Khammouan, Oudomxay, Xiangkhouang. Myanmar: Kachin, Sagaing. Thailand: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Loei, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Phayao, Phitsanulok. Vietnam: Cao Bang, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hanoi, Hoa Binh, Khanh Hoa, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lao Cai, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho, Quang Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Thua Tien Hue, Vinh Phuc.
Notes. Zhao (2022) summarized the nomenclatural issues of C. sinensis var. assamica (Assam tea) discussed by Zhao et al. (2017a) and Mabberley (2021) and listed the natural distribution localities in tropical China and Indochina. Assam tea can be distinguished from tea by its larger leaf blade and attenuate or acuminate leaf apex. Both are the most widely cultivated tea plants in the world.
Camellia sinensis has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2015. Camellia sinensis is listed as Data Deficient.
» Distribution
» Description
普洱茶Camellia sinensis var. assamica (Mast.) Kitamura in Acta Phytotax. et Geobot. Kyoto, 14：59.1950. 张宏达，1981. 《山茶属植物的系统研究》第121页。【标本】广西：昭平，梁盛业6505129。海南：红毛山，曾怀德、冯钦18062；同地，MaClure 1858(C.C.C.8357), 1798(C.C.C.8296)；坝王岭，乔木，高14米，胸径35厘米，曾沛13448，13374, 13841，13339。以上均野生种。广东：英德茶场，张宏达6313；乳源，曾沛13841(野生)。云南：龙陵，昆明工作站203。越南：大黄毛山，曾怀德29277。【形态特征】中国人民利甩茶叶的的历史十分悠久。考之史籍，茶叶最先被用于医药方面，然后才作为饮料。早在公元前2700年的殷周时期就知道用茶树作医药，周代以后就以茶为饮料，中国人民在春秋时期到西汉（公元前600-300年）期间出版的第一部辞典《尔雅》把茶叫作“槚”，《唐本草》采用“茶”一词，无论从植物地理分 布或人类与自然界作斗争的历史看，茶树都是中国原产，关于J. Hutchinson的错 误观点，应予澄清，至于他无视J. R. Sealy的论述（见Rev.Gen.Camellia 1958, 引论部份提到《神农本草》及《尔雅》等）尤为不应该。无论茶的原种C.sinensis 还是洱茶var. assamica，都是中国原产，我们认为是无可争议的。但我们不 Sealy的意见，他认为普洱茶的野生种见于印度的阿萨姆一緬甸一泰国一中南半岛一中国南部（包括海南），究竟在多大程度上是由人工栽培所引起的则无法确定云云。从茶属的地理分布看，普洱茶var.assamica分布到印度阿萨姆的可能性不是不存在的，但由人类的活动引过去的可能性则更大，因为印度现在栽培的大叶茶即普洱荼是当时东印度公司从中国引过去的(见Hutchinson的论述)。英国东印度公司从1600年开始成立，印度的种茶事业就是通过他们从中国引渡过去的。关于茶树在印度的记载，在印度本身是未有发现的。最早的报导是1826年东印度公司阿萨姆的职员在当时采得，经Wallich定为Camellia? scottiana，并收进他的“Catalogue”里。以后东印度公司派人去阿萨姆进行茶树栽培调查，据参与者C.B.Bruce的报告，阿萨姆的茶是当地掸族人从远东带回去栽培的（Sealy:Rev. Gen. Camellia 121-122，1958)。这个变种和野生的正种很难区别，因而，不能不令人怀疑所谓var.assamica 恰恰就是栽培的正种C.sinensis O. Ktze. 的野生植株。
高继银、帕克斯、杜跃强，2005. 《山茶属植物主要原种彩色图集》浙江科学技术出版社，第224页。花白色，花径2.5~3.0厘米，多腋生。花柄长6~8毫米。苞片2枚，萼片5枚，半宿存。花瓣6~7枚。雄蕊无毛，长8~10毫米。花期秋末至春初。蒴果扁三球形，直径约2厘米。叶阔椭圆形，先端渐尖，基部楔形，长7.0-16.0厘米，宽3.0~7.5厘米，边缘具细叶齿，薄革质，比茶（C.sinensis var.sinensis)更薄，叶背中脉不同程度地被短柔毛。叶柄长5~7毫米，被微毛。灌木或大乔木，一般高8米，甚至可达17米，嫩枝被微毛，细枝无毛，老枝灰褐色。其他性状与原变种相似。分布：中国西南部和南部各地区，海拔500-1800米。 可寻地点:云南省广南县底圩。
大叶茶最近一次于 2015年进行了IUCN濒危等级评估，被评为数据缺乏 Data Deficient（DD）。
» Distribution
Species in the Same Section: 丹寨秃茶 Camellia danzaiensis Hung T.Chang & K.M.Lan、防城茶 Camellia fangchengensis S.Ye Liang & Y.C.Zhong、秃房茶 Camellia gymnogyna Hung T.Chang、滇缅茶 Camellia irrawadiensis P.K.Barua、广西茶 Camellia kwangsiensis Hung T. Chang、膜叶茶 Camellia leptophylla S.Ye Liang ex Hung T.Chang、马关茶 Camellia makuanica Hung T.Chang, Y.J.Tan & P.S.Wang、细萼茶 Camellia parvisepala Hung T. Chang、毛叶茶 Camellia ptilophylla Hung T.Chang、汝城毛叶茶 Camellia pubescens Hung T.Chang & C.X.Ye、茶 Camellia sinensis var. sinensis、大厂茶 Camellia tachangensis F.S.Zhang、大理茶 Camellia taliensis (W.W.Sm.) Melch.、五室茶 Camellia quinquelocularis Hung T.Chang & S.Ye Liang、厚轴茶 Camellia crassicolumna Hung T. Chang、五柱茶 Camellia pentastyla Hung T.Chang、皱叶茶 Camellia crispula Hung T. Chang、突肋茶 Camellia costata S.Y.Hu & S.Y.Liang、榕江茶 Camellia yungkiangensis Hung T. Chang、狭叶茶 Camellia angustifolia Hung T. Chang、白毛茶 Camellia sinensis var. pubilimba Hung T.Chang、麻豆茶 Camellia sinensis var. madoensis T.V.Nguyen, V.D.Luong & N.Trieu Le、细枝茶 Camellia tenuistipa Orel, Curry & Luu、大苞茶 Camellia grandibracteata Hung T.Chang, Y.J.Tan, F.L.Yu & P.S.Wang、广南茶 Camellia kwangnanica Hung T.Chang, H.S.Wang & B.H.Chen、疏齿大厂茶 Camellia tachangensis var. remotiserrata (Hung T.Chang, F.L.Yu & P.S.Wang) T.L.Ming、西里茶 Camellia sealyana T.L.Ming、多瓣茶 Camellia crispula var. multiplex (Hung T.Chang, Y.J.Tan & P.S.Wang) S.X.Yang、德宏茶 Camellia sinensis var. dehungensis (Hung T.Chang, H.S.Wang & B.H.Chen) T.L.Ming、锡安山茶 Camellia siangensis T.K.Paul & M.P.Nayar、台湾山茶 Camellia formosensis (Masam. & S.Suzuki) M.H.Su, C.F.Hsieh & C.H.Tsou、三萼茶 Camellia yangii D.Wei Zhao
