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The Camellia szechuanensis belongs to Theaceae (the Tea family). It is a small evergreen tree that is native to Mount Emei in Sichuan Province, China. It grows in forests at elevations of 1200 to 1800 m and reaches a height of 1 to 4 m. The leaves are oblong to oblanceolate, thin and leathery, with a dark green upper surface. From January to March, white flowers bloom in the leaf axils. The corolla is 4 to 5 cm in diameter and has 6 to 8 petals. The fruit is a nearly spherical capsule that turns dark brown when ripe; it has three chambers, each containing a single seed. In Chinese, it is called "四川離蕊茶" (si chuan li rui cha).
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