Study points to answer behind tea's global appeal

Chinese researchers have for the first time successfully sequenced the genome of the evergreen shrub Camellia sinensis, known as tea tree, offering clues to why tea is so popular worldwide.

The camellia genus has more than 100 species, but the most popular varieties, including black tea, green tea, oolong and white tea, all come from the leaves of Camellia sinensis.

"There are many diverse flavors, but the mystery is what determines, or what is the genetic basis of, tea flavors," said Gao Lizhi, a plant geneticist at the Kunming Institute of Botany and senior author of the study published by science journal Molecular Plant.