White-flowered tea, Japanese maesa
Maesa japonica
Family: Primulaceae
What it is like
A small shrub. It is evergreen and climbing. It grows 1-3 m high. The leaves are sword shaped. They are 5-16 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. They are leathery. There are teeth towards the end. The flowers are white. They are in groups 1-3 cm long in the axils of leaves. The fruit are round and turn from yellow to white. They are 4-4 mm across.
They are also put in the family Maesaceae. They are also put in the family Myrsinaceae.
Where it is found
It is a subtropical plant. It grows in mixed forests on limestone between 300-2,000 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.
Countries/locations it is found in
Asia, China, Indochina, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, SE Asia, Taiwan, Vietnam
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Fruit, leaves - tea
How it is grown
Plants can be grown from seeds.
Its other names
Local names
Kab yeeb tshuaj loj, Maesa jepang