Camellia sinensis

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Also known as: Tea

Plant folklore: Discovered in China over 4,000 years ago when the Emperor Nun Shen, a scholar and herbalist was kneeling beside a fire, boiling water. As the water boiled, a breeze blew the topmost leaves of a nearby tree into the pot. The aroma drew Shen to taste the beguiling beverage. Immediately delighted, Shen claimed that this liquid was both delicious and invigorating. Until the growth of the plants was controlled, monkeys were trained to climb into the tall trees, pick the leaves and drop them to the ground. In India, Bodhidharma, the eventual founder of Zen Buddhism, was partway through a seven year sleepless meditation when he chewed some leaves to keep himself awake, and found they were refreshing. Also, leaves rubbed against the teeth aided dental problems.
High tariffs on imported tea became the symbol of Britain’s oppression of its colony in America.

Factual; Tea contains antioxidants to protect against heart disease.