large-leaf type
'large-leaf variety/type'
Definition#
Chinese label for the large-leaved group of tea plants. Chinese plant-science texts sort tea plant resources by leaf size into large-leaf, medium-leaf and small-leaf types (大叶, 中叶, 小叶); the one text consulted gives the three types without numeric limits, and no limits are given here. 大叶种 names a group, not one cultivar: 云南大叶种 (Yunnan large-leaf) is the group behind Yunnan pu'er, and named selections such as Menghai Daye or Fengqing Daye are cultivars or populations within it. Chinese Wikipedia defines pu'er as made from sun-dried maocha of 云南大叶茶 (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) from a defined area of Yunnan and gives 云南大叶种 as its example of the semi-tree habit (半乔木型); English Wikipedia calls the Yunnan plant 'the large leaf type of Chinese tea'. The text of the GB/T 22111-2008 GI standard was not consulted, so what it requires of the raw material is not stated here. A large-leaf label says nothing about tree age, altitude or quality.
Translation and usage#
| Language | Use | Alternatives & cautions |
|---|---|---|
| English | large-leaf type large-leaved type of tea plant (var. assamica type), e.g. Yunnan large-leaf translation |
Also acceptable
Avoid Assam tea (for Yunnan large-leaf) 'assamica' is the botanical variety, not a link to India's Assam teas gushu / old tree leaf size is not tree age |
| Deutsch | großblättriger Typ (Dayezhong) großblättriger Teepflanzentyp (Assamica-Typ), z. B. Yunnan-Großblatt translation |
Also acceptable
Avoid Assam-Tee 'Assamica' is the botanical variety, not the Indian Assam tea |
| Русский | крупнолистный тип (да е чжун) крупнолистный тип чайного растения (ассамского типа), например юньнаньский крупнолистный translation |
Also acceptable
Avoid ассамский чай assamica is a botanical variety, not Indian Assam |
| 简体字 | 大叶种 | |
| 繁體字 | 大葉種 | Regional usage
|
| 日本語 | 大葉種（雲南大葉種） 大きな葉をつける茶樹の系統 translation |
Also acceptable
Avoid アッサム種（雲南大葉種の同義語として） アッサム種 is the Japanese name of var. assamica; Japanese texts also list 中国大葉種 (f. macrophylla) as a separate group, so the two names are not synonyms |
Common confusions#
- Group label, not a cultivar: Menghai Daye, Fengqing Daye and Mengku Daye are separate cultivars within the Yunnan large-leaf group.
- Leaf size is independent of tree age, altitude or quality; Chinese cultivar surveys combine the two axes (for example 乔木大叶品种 'tree-form large-leaf cultivars').
- In Japanese, do not equate 大葉種 with アッサム種: Japanese texts list 中国種, アッサム種 and 中国大葉種 (f. macrophylla) as separate groups, while Japanese pu'er shops write 雲南大葉種.