Although it is habitually considered "wild tea," Camellia taliensis is a species distinct from Camellia sinensis, parallel to the latter within the same genus. In its place of origin, taliensis is often processed into Puerh, black tea, and sometimes other types of tea, using the pan-frying technique; while in Japan, where the steaming technique is commonly applied, there are no taliensis plantations. Thus, a steamed green tea made from taliensis is rare and distinctive, offering a unique experience to curious drinkers: particular features coming from the plant, and the smoothness resulting from the steaming process. Moreover, this tea comes from an organic tea plantation in mainland Portugal.

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Camellia taliensis is a species of plants belonging to the Camellia genus in the Theaceae family, along with the true tea plants, Camellia sinensis. It is mainly distributed in Yunnan, China, as well as in northern Myanmar, with its morphological characteristics very similar to those of Camellia sinensis var. assamica commonly growing in the same regions. It was first named as Thea taliensis in 1917 by Scottish botanist William Wright Smith, based on a plant specimen collected in Dali (formerly called Tali), Yunnan by George Forrest, another Scottish botanist, in the early 20th centuries. Then in 1925, the German botanist Hans Melchior reclassified it into Camellia genus and rename it Camellia taliensis.

Camellia taliensis has a long history of consumption and cultivation by local people in Yunnan since ancient times, and according to some scholars, even earlier than Camellia sinensis. As a close relative of Camellia sinensis, it has a very similar chemical composition, making it an important resource for tea, even though it is somewhat neglected nowadays.