DEVELOPING STUDY ON SPECIES RESOURCE OF TEA TREE

In China, Tea tree species can be divided into 3 types: arbor,sub-arbor and bush-type, according to the tree shape. Also they can be divided into other 3 groups:large leaf, medium leaf and small leaf. Among present cultivars, the medium leaf bush-type is the most, large leaf sub-arbor type is the second and large leaf arbor type is the third.The wild tea tree is distributed in 97-122° E longitude and 18-31°N latitude but most of them are distributed in 22-29°N latitude.Its minimum growth temperature is 3.2-7.8℃. The cultivated large leaf arbor type is mainly distributed in the south of 25°N longitude.Its minimum growth temperature is 4.2-5.1℃. The medium and small leaf arbor type is widely distributed even in 37°N longitude,they can subsist at-18.6℃.The large leaf sub-arbor type is mainly distributed in the south of 30°N longitude, its minimum growth temperature is-8-10℃. Now the trend of leaf yield of different species is: large leaf arbor typelarge leaf sub-arbor typemedium or large leaf bush type.The temperatures of starting sprouting of different species are. extra early sprouting species ≥8℃, early sprouting≥10℃, medium sprouting species≥12℃ and late sprouting species≥14℃.Author suggests that the local point of tea tree species for future developing and utilizing is large leaf arbor and sub-arbor type and the new plantations must be extended in south China.