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Mr Monkey visits China Landscape at the British Museum, 16th May


"These are small but important plants"

Mr Monkey looking at a regal lily Mr Monkey looking at a tea plant

Mr Monkey looked at a regal lily (lilium regale) which didn't look especially regal. The regal lily was brought to Britain by Ernest Henry Wilson, who had his leg broken by an avalanche while searching for it. On the other side of the path Mr Monkey inspected some tea (Camellia sinensis). Green tea, black tea and oolong are all made from the leaves of this plant, which has been cultivated in China since 2737 BC when Emperor Shen Nong accidentally boiled and drank some of its leaves.


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