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 taliensis is the tea variety traditionally cultivated in Yunnan. Like "C. sinensis, C. taliensis" contains both theanine and caffeine. "C. talensis" can be easily crossed with "C. sinensis," and the resulting crossbred plants are intermediate between species both morphologically and chemically indicating true hybrids. "Camellia taliensis" is locally used to make white tea, black tea, and pu'er tea. Yue Guang Bai (月光白 "Moonlight White") is a white tea made from the plant. Yunnan pu-erh tea made from "C. taliensis" can command a much higher price than pu'er made from the more common "C. sinensis." Camellia taliensis Camellia taliensis (also Yunnan large