Camellia 76099 225296294 2008-07-12T23:11:23Z 72.160.122.63 /* Places */ {{alternateuses}} {{Taxobox | name = ''Camellia'' bush | image = Camellia japonica natural.jpg | image_width = 280px | image_caption = ''Camellia japonica'' | regnum = [[Plant]]ae | divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]] | classis = [[Magnoliopsida]] | ordo = [[Ericales]] | familia = [[Theaceae]] | genus = '''''Camellia''''' | genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]] | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = About 100–250 species, including:<br/> ''[[Camellia assimilis]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia azalea]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia brevistyla]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia caudata]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia chekiangoleosa]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia chrysantha]]'' – Golden Camellia<br/> ''[[Camellia connata]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia crapnelliana]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia cuspidata]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia euphlebia]]''</br> ''[[Camellia euryoides]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia forrestii]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia fraterna]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia furfuracea]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia granthamiana]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia grijsii]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia hongkongensis]]'' - Hong Kong Camellia<br/> ''[[Camellia irrawadiensis]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia japonica]]'' – Japanese Camellia<br/> ''[[Camellia kissii]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia lutchuensis]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia miyagii]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia nitidissima]]'' - ''Camellia chrysantha'', Yellow Camellia</br> ''[[Camellia nokoensis]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia oleifera]]'' - Tea Oil Camellia, Oil-seed Camellia<br/> ''[[Camellia parviflora]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia pitardii]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia polyodonta]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia reticulata]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia rosiflora]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia rusticana]]'' – Snow Camellia<br/> ''[[Camellia salicifolia]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia saluenensis]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia sasanqua]]'' – Christmas Camellia<br/> ''[[Camellia semiserrata]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia sinensis]]'' – Tea<br/> ''[[Camellia taliensis]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia transnokoensis]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia tsaii]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia vietnamensis]]''<br/> ''[[Camellia yunnanensis]]'' }} '''''Camellia''''' ({{zh-cp|c=茶花|p=Cháhuā}}) ([[Japanese language|Japanese]]: 椿 ''Tsubaki'') is a [[genus]] of [[flowering plant]]s in the family [[Theaceae]], native to eastern and southern [[Asia]] from the [[Himalaya]] east to [[Japan]] and [[Indonesia]]. There are 100–250 existent species, with some controversy over the exact number. The genus was named by [[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]] after [[Jesuit]] botanist [[Georg Joseph Kamel]]. [[Image:Teestrauch Detail.jpg|left|thumb|Leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'', also known as the [[tea plant]]]] They are [[evergreen]] [[shrub]]s and small [[tree]]s 2–20 m tall. The [[leaf|leaves]] are alternately arranged, simple, thick, serrated, usually glossy, and 3–17 cm long. The [[flower]]s are large and conspicuous, 1–12 cm diameter, with (in natural conditions) 5–9 petals; colour varies from white to pink and red, and yellow in a few species. The [[fruit]] is a dry capsule, sometimes subdivided into up to 5 compartments, each compartment containing up to 8 [[seed]]s. The genus is generally adapted to [[acid]]ic [[soil]]s, and does not grow well on [[chalk]] or other [[calcium]]-rich soils. Most species also have a high [[rain]]fall requirement and will not tolerate [[drought]]. Some Camellias have been known to grow without much rainfall. ''Camellia'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of a number of ''[[Lepidoptera]]'' species. See [[List of Lepidoptera that feed on Camellia]]. ==Cultivation and uses== ''[[Camellia sinensis]]'' is of major commercial importance because [[tea]] is made from its leaves. [[Tea oil]] is a sweet seasoning and cooking oil made by pressing the seeds of ''Camellia sinensis'' or ''[[Camellia oleifera]]''. Many other camellias are grown as ornamental plants for their flowers; about 3,000 [[cultivar]]s and [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]s have been selected, many with [[double flowers]]. ''[[Camellia japonica]]'' (often simply called '''Camellia''') is the most prominent species in cultivation, with over 2,000 named cultivars; next are ''[[Camellia reticulata|C. reticulata]]'', with over 400 named cultivars, and ''[[Camellia sasanqua|C. sasanqua]]'', with over 300 named cultivars. Popular hybrids include ''[[Camellia hiemalis|C. × hiemalis]]'' (''C. japonica'' × ''C. sasanqua'') and ''[[Camellia williamsii|C. × williamsii]]'' (''C. japonica'' × ''[[Camellia saluenensis|C. saluenensis]]''). They are highly valued in Japan and elsewhere for their very early flowering, often among the first flowers to appear in the late winter. Late [[frost]]s can damage the flowers. PF1022A, a [[metabolite]] of Mycelia sterile, a [[fungus]] that inhabits the leaves of ''Camellia japonica'' is chemically altered to synthesise [[emodepside]], an [[anthelmintic]] [[drug]]. Camellias have a slow growth rate. Typically they will grow about 30 centimetres a year until mature although this varies depending on variety and location. <gallery> Image:Double-flowered Camellia.jpg|Double flowered Camellia Image:Cameliasasanqua 6637.JPG|''Camellia sasanqua'' Image:Camellia_japonica_somersby.jpg|''Camellia japonica'' 'Somersby' </gallery> <gallery> Image:Camellia1.JPG|Double flowered Camellia Image:Camellia2.JPG|Double flowered Camellia Image:Camellia japonica SZ82.jpg|19th century illustration </gallery> {{Commons|Camellia}} ==As a favourite flower== ===Places=== ''[[Camellia japonica]]'' is the [[List of U.S. state flowers|state flower]] of [[Alabama]] as well as the city flower of [[Sacramento, California]]; [[Newberg, Oregon]]; [[Slidell, Louisiana]]; the [[Municipality of China|Chinese municipality]] [[Chongqing]]; and of [[Matsue|Matsue City]] in [[Shimane|Shimane Prefecture]], [[Japan]]. ===People=== * [[Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon|Elizabeth, the Queen Mother]] grew Camellia in all of her gardens. As her body was taken from [[Royal Lodge]], [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] to lie in state at [[Westminster Hall]] of the [[Palace of Westminster]], a Camellia from her gardens was placed on top of the flag-draped coffin. * [[Ralph Peer]], the music industry pioneer often credited as the father of [[country music]], was a president of the [[American Camellia Society]]. * [[Coco Chanel]] was very well known for wearing a white Camellia. ==Fiction== {{Trivia|date=May 2008}} * The heroine of the novel ''[[The Lady of the Camellias]]'' always wears a camellia as her symbol. She was based on the real-life French courtesan [[Marie Duplessis]]. * In [[Akira Kurosawa]]'s 1962 film, ''[[Sanjuro]]'', the main character takes on the surname 'Tsubaki' meaning camellia, which he happened to be looking at when asked for his name. * The [[1942]] film [[Now Voyager]] starring [[Bette Davis]] as ''Charlotte Vale'' a middle aged spinster woman who is treated psychiatrically and as part of her treatment goes away on a [[cruise]]. While there she is romanced by a very charming [[Paul Henreid]] who affectionately calls her Camille and gives her camellias. * In the manga [[Fruits Basket]], the character [[Akito Sohma|Akito]] has a fondness for the camellia. This is because her true love, the character [[Shigure Sohma|Shigure]], gave her a camellia in their youth and proclaimed his love for her. * In the manga [[Soul Eater]], the character Tsubaki is named for the flower, and it is constantly brought up in episodes 10 and 11, that the way the scentless flower dies is tragic and unsettling, a reference to what would've occurred in battle, if Tsubaki hadn't had the emotional support from her partner, which allowed her to succeed in the fight against her brother, as she claimed that the Camellia did in fact have a scent. ==External links== * [http://camellia-ics.org/ The International Camellia Society] * [http://www.camellias-acs.org/ The American Camellia Society] * [http://www.southeasterncamellias.com/ The Southeastern Camellia Society] * [http://www.hct.zaq.ne.jp/kishikawa/ Website with many Camellia illustrations from European and Japanese Camellia Books] * [http://camellia-tour.com/ The Trancecarpathian Tour Agency Camellia Tour] [[Category:Theaceae]] [[Category:Czech loanwords]] [[bg:Камелия]] [[cs:Camellia]] [[da:Kamelia-slægten]] [[de:Kamelien]] [[es:Camellia]] [[fr:Camellia]] [[gl:Camellia]] [[it:Camellia]] [[lt:Kamelija]] [[nl:Camellia]] [[ja:ツバキ]] [[pl:Kamelia (roślina)]] [[pt:Camélia]] [[ro:Camellia (plantă)]] [[ru:Камелия]] [[simple:Camellia]] [[sv:Kamelior]] [[vi:Chi Trà]] [[tr:Kamelya]] [[zh:山茶属]]