Crapnell's Camellia
Encyclopedia
Camellia
Camellia, the camellias, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Theaceae. They are found in eastern and southern Asia, from the Himalaya east to Korea and Indonesia. There are 100–250 described species, with some controversy over the exact number...
native to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
In 1903, the Camellia crapnelliana species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
was first collected and described by W. J. Tutcher from Mount Parker
Mount Parker, Hong Kong
Mount Parker is the highest peak on Hong Kong Island after Victoria Peak . It is the 40th highest peak of the territory of Hong Kong.-Ecology:...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
; only one plant was found at that time .
Description
Camellia crapnelliana, Crapnell's Camellia, is a 5-7 metre [15-21 ft] tall small tree with thickly leathery leaves and solitary and terminal flowers.Distribution
It is distributed in Hong Kong on in Mount ParkerMount Parker, Hong Kong
Mount Parker is the highest peak on Hong Kong Island after Victoria Peak . It is the 40th highest peak of the territory of Hong Kong.-Ecology:...
, and in Mau Ping on Ma On Shan
Ma On Shan (peak)
Ma On Shan is saddle-shaped peak in east of Tolo Harbour in the New Territories of Hong Kong. With a peak of 702 metres , it stands among the ten highest mountains in Hong Kong. The mountain borders Sha Tin and Tai Po districts....
peak. It is also distributed in Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
, Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
, Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
in China.
Uses
The seed oil is edible.The Crapnell's Camellia plant was introduced to Japan in 1968. Only a small number of plants have been cultivated in Japan because grafting on Camellia japonica or Camellia sasanqua
Camellia sasanqua
The Christmas Camellia is a species of Camellia native to the evergreen coastal forests of southern Japan in Shikoku, Kyūshū and many other minor islands as far south as Okinawa. It is usually found growing up to an altitude of 900 metres.It is an evergreen shrub growing to 5 m tall...
is difficult .