UBC Department of Asian Studies in Buddhist tradition. The design (courtesy of Asian Studies MA student in Japanese Literature and Visual Culture and graphic designer Julien Butterlin) does indeed gesture in this direction, but the flower depicted is in fact that of Camellia sinensis or Thea sinensis, the tea plant whence many teas are derived. A genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae, Camellia sinensis is used to harvest white tea, green tea, oolong, pu-erh tea and black tea. Tea is the second-most widely consumed beverage in the world after water, and has played and continues to play such a central role in all
Camellia number of "Lepidoptera" species; see List of Lepidoptera that feed on Camellia. Leaves of the Japanese camellia ("C. japonica") are susceptible to the fungal parasite "Mycelia sterile" (see below for the significance). "Camellia sinensis", the tea plant, is of major commercial importance because tea is made from its leaves. The species "C. sinensis" is the product of many generations of selective breeding in order to bring out qualities considered desirable for tea. However, many other camellias can be used to produce a similar beverage. For example, in some parts of Japan, tea made from "C. sasanqua" leaves is popular. Tea