Nomenclature of Tea

By the time the nomenclaturist Linnaeus published his Species Plantarum (1753), tea had already grown and consumed for centuries and he was aware of the availability of green and black teas.

Accordingly, he identifies two separate species of plants that yield tea: Thea virids (green) and Thea bohen (black).

Those inaccurate classification held until the early 19th century, when it was determined that these two plants were, in fact, one and the same.

The species of the tea plant is Camellia sinensis.

It is in the the family Theaceae of order Theales.

Interestingly enough, over 2000 varieties of tea are derived from this one plant species.

The differences are one function of the way o which the tea leaves are processed.
Nomenclature of Tea