NHD54/32

Henan Tea plant

Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze; Theaceae

Original inscriptions: 河南茶 (front lower right in ink); 河南茶 Ho-nan-tcha (reverse lower right in pencil)

Further inscriptions: W. Ch. (front lower left in ink); Thea Bohea tea tree (front lower right in pencil)

Flowering branch of a tea plant. One erect, woody dark brown-greyish branch, with few later leaved twigs. Alternate, elliptic green leaves with serrate margins, and light green alternate veins. At the top of the branch, two reddish twigs with reddish, small leaves. On the apex of the two lower twigs, two flower buds on the right and one open flower on the left. Globular, green-yellowish sepals surround white, slightly lobed petals. Yellow stamens slightly visible from the center of the open flower. Lower left: dissected view of the flower members, including a row of numerous, erect stamens, with pale yellow filaments and orange anthers; six oblong white petals, flower pedicel with stellate, pale yellow bracts, one compound pistil, and a further pedicel with three, round, light green-yellowish sepals. Lower right: dissected view of the fruit, including a short, light brown pedicel with stellate, yellowish bracts, three halves of the fruit capsule, showing thick shell, light brown on the outside, and creamy yellow on the section; a sub-globulose light brown seed.

Any further details: Pencil underdrawings visible.