Camellia fangchengensis

Botanical Description

Camellia fangchengensis is an evergreen shrub or a small tree; it can grow from 3 - 5 metres tall[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ]. The plant is commonly harvested from the wild for local use as a tea. It is sometimes cultivated as a tea plant and is also grown as an ornamental. Camellia fangchengensis has a restricted distribution with an estimated extent of occurrence of less than 100 km2 and a single location. It is threatened by deforestation and logging in the area which is estimated to be causing a decline in area and quality of habitat. Local people may also dig the plants up, plant them in their own gardens and wait to sell them for a good price. The plant is classified as 'Critically Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].