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
Health effects of tea Health effects of tea Although health benefits have been assumed throughout the history of using "Camellia sinensis" as a common beverage, there is no high-quality evidence that tea confers significant benefits. In clinical research over the early 21st century, tea has been studied extensively for its potential to lower the risk of human diseases, but none of this research is conclusive as of 2017. In regions without access to safe drinking water, boiling water to make tea is effective for reducing waterborne diseases by destroying pathogenic microorganisms. Tea drinking accounts for a high proportion of aluminum in the human diet.