Ⅲ.Representative Ancient Tea Trees
(Ⅰ)Types of Tea Trees
1.Wild Big Tea Trees
Wild big tea tree usually refers to a group that survives through long-term evolution and natural selection under certain natural conditions.The tea trees were wild before humans knew how to plant and utilize them.The existence of wild big tea trees proves that China is the birthplace of tea in the world.Usually, wild large tea trees are mostly arbors, with a high posture and a height of more than 3 m.Their tender leaves are hairless or have little hair.Their leaves have sparse and blunt teeth.Because of the high degree of leather of the leaves, it is difficult to twist them into strips, and the color of primary tea is mostly dark green.However, the content of ester catechin in wild tea is low, which is a little irritating to the oral cavity and taste sweet and mellow.However, most wild tea is slightly toxic, which may cause diarrhea and abdominal pain, so it is not suitable for long-term drinking.
2.Transitional Big Tea Trees
The transitional ancient tea tree is a kind of arboreal big tree.Its discovery fills the gap between wild tea trees and cultivated tea trees, and rewrites the evolution history of tea in the world.It provides important research materials for studying the origin and evolution of tea trees,the place of origin of tea trees, and the breeding of improved tea trees.Because of artificial management, the transitional big tea tree has little variation.The transitional tea tree has the morphological characteristics of flowers and fruits of wild tea trees, as well as the characteristics of buds, leaves and shoots of cultivated tea trees.Its fresh leaves can be directly used.In March 1991,an ancient tea tree (king of tea tree)between wild type and cultivated type was found in Bangwai Village, Fudong Township, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province.It is about 1,000 years old.This is also a symbol of the long history of Pu’er tea.The leaves of the transitional big tea tree have many white pekoes, with fine sharp teeth at the edge, and obvious main and auxiliary veins.Most of its primary tea is yellow-green or dark green, rich in substances,high in aroma, and lasting in sweetness and high resistant in brewing.
3.Cultivated Big Tea Trees
Cultivated tea tree refers to a new variety of tea trees produced by human beings through selection and cultivation of wild tea trees.It is a product of natural selection and artificial selection.In Jingmai Mountain, Huimin Township, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu’er City,Yunnan Province, there is an artificially cultivated ancient tea garden of 10,000 mu, which is the largest ancient tea garden found in Yunnan Province at present.The cultivated big tea tree has the characteristics of general big-leaf tea tree.It has stable characteristics and excellent quality.Usually, its primary tea has a tight and thin twisted strip, dark green color, obvious orchid fragrance or honey fragrance, full taste and lasting sweetness.
(Ⅱ)Representative Ancient Tea Trees
According to the administrative region, the ancient tea tree resources in Yunnan are distributed in 12 of the 16 prefectures and cities in the province.There are about 20 places with trees with a height of several meters or more, and dozens of trees with a trunk diameter of 100 cm or more.Ancient tea trees of Pu’er City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture and Lincang are all representative ancient tea tree resources in Yunnan.In Xishuangbanna, there are many high arboreal wild, transitional and cultivated ancient tea trees as well as the most manual ancient tea gardens in the world, including the“King of wild tea tree”in Bada which is 1,700 years old and the“King of cultivated tea tree”in Nannuo which is 800 years old.
1.普洱市古茶树
普洱市的种茶历史悠久境内至今还有大片保护良好、种类齐全的野生型、过渡型、栽培型古茶树和茶园。2700多年的镇沅彝族哈尼族拉祜族自治县千家寨野生型古茶树，上千年的澜沧拉祜族自治县邦崴过渡型“古茶树王”和景迈山万亩人工栽培型千年古茶园，构成了闻名中外的“古茶树博物馆”。
千家寨大茶树：生长海拔2450米，为乔木树型，树姿直立，分枝较稀，树高25.6米，树幅22米×20米，最低分枝高3.60米，第二分枝高7.30米，基部干径1.20米，胸径0.89米。根据其生理生态研究资料，结合地理纬度、海拔高度、光照水温等资源条件，茶叶专家推测计算，其树龄为2700年，是迄今世界上发现的最古老的古茶树之一。
千家寨大茶树附近有世界上面积最大、最原始、最完整、茶树为优势树种的植物群落。这些古代大茶树是中国云南茶树发源地的历史见证。它的发现，对于研究茶树原产地、茶树群落学、茶树遗传多样性、茶树种质资源利用，都具有重大意义。
邦崴过渡型古茶树：1991年3月在云南普洱市澜沧拉祜族自治县富东乡邦崴村发现的这棵古茶树，属野生型与栽培型之间的过渡型古茶树王。树高11.80米，树幅8.2米×9米，根茎处直径1.14米，树龄约1000年，它是普洱茶悠久历史的象征。
景迈山千年古茶园：地处云南省普洱市澜沧拉祜族自治县的景迈茶区包括澜沧县惠民乡景迈村与芒景村，是一片具有上千年种植历史的万亩栽培型古茶园，是目前云南省所发现最大规模的古茶园。今天，当地人民仍从古茶园采叶制茶，体现了人与自然的和谐发展。
2.西双版纳古茶树
西双版纳傣族自治州产茶历史悠久，古茶树资源无论是种类、品种、数量面积均有其特殊性。其现存的古茶树资源绝大部分是栽培型的野生型古茶树仅有零星分布。栽培型古茶树中绝大部分为大叶种，从树型来看，古茶树多为乔木型。具有代表性的包括以下几种：
1.Ancient Tea Trees in Pu’er City
Pu’er City has a long history of planting tea tress.There are still a large number of wellprotected and complete types of wild, transitional and cultivated ancient tea trees and tea gardens in Pu’er.The wild ancient tea trees of more than 2,700 years old in Qianjiazhai of Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County, the“King of transitional tea tree”of 1,000 years old in Bangwai Village of Lancang Lahu Autonomous County and artificially cultivated millennial ancient tea garden of 10,000 mu in Jingmai Mountain constitute the“museum of ancient tea trees”which is famous at home and abroad.
Big Tea Tree in Qianjiazhai: It grows at an altitude of 2,450 meters.It is an arbor standing upright, with sparse branches, with a height of 25.6 meters, a width of 22×20 meters, the lowest branch height of 3.6 meters, the second branch height of 7.3 meters, a trunk diameter of 1.2 meters and a breast height diameter of 0.89 meters.According to its physiological and ecological research data, combined with geographical latitude, altitude, light and water temperature and other resource conditions, tea experts speculated that the tree is 2,700 years old.It is one of the oldest ancient tea trees found in the world so far.
Near the big tea tree in Qianjiazhai, there is the largest, most primitive and the most complete plant community with tea tree as the dominant tree variety.These ancient tea trees are the historical witness of the birthplace of tea trees in Yunnan, China.Its discovery is of great significance to the study of place of origin, coenology and genetic diversity of tea trees and the utilization of tea variety resources.
Transitional Ancient Tea Tree in Bangwai Village: This ancient tea tree was found in Bangwai Village, Fudong Township, Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province in March 1991.It is the king of transitional ancient tea tree between wild type and cultivated type.The tea tree has a height of 11.8 m, a width of 8.2×9 m, a root range diameter of 1.14 m, and an age of about 1,000 years.It is a symbol of the long history of Pu’er tea.
Millennial Ancient Tea Garden on Jingmai Mountain: Jingmai Tea Area, located in Lancang Lahu Autonomous County, Pu’er City, Yunnan Province, includes Jingmai Village and Mangjing Village of Huimin Township, Lancang County.It is a 10,000-mu cultivated ancient tea garden with a thousand of years of tea planting history.It is the largest ancient tea garden found in Yunnan Province at present.Today, local people still pick leaves from the Ancient Tea Garden to produce tea, which reflects the harmonious development between man and nature.
2.Ancient Tea Trees in Xishuangbanna
Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture has a long history of tea production.Its ancient tea tree resources have their own particularity in terms of species, varieties, quantity and area.Most of the existing ancient tea tree resources are cultivated.The wild ancient tea trees are distributed sporadically.Most of the cultivated ancient tea trees belong to big-leaf variety, and most of them are arbor.Their representatives include:
南糯山茶王树：位于勐海县格朗和乡南糯山村半坡新寨，海拔1700米。树型小乔木，树高5.30米，树幅9.35米×7.50米，基部围2.40米，树龄800年左右。
贺开大茶树：位于勐海县勐混镇贺开村曼弄新、老寨交界处，海拔1600米，树型乔木，树高3.80米，树幅7.3米×6.55米，基部围2.12米，树龄700年左右。
3.临沧市古茶树
临沧是世界茶树重要的地理起源中心和栽培起源中心，是最早发现和利用茶叶的地区。临沧茶树种质资源丰富，在2.4万平方公里的土地上，野生古茶树群落达80万亩，分布在全市的七县一区。
临翔区野生茶树：位于博尚镇水泉营盘山至南美草山，以及邦东大雪山。代表性群落为南美乡野生茶树群落，主要分布于坡脚村仙人箐、铁厂箐、南华山、茶山坡等地。主要品种为勐库大叶种、凤庆长叶茶和邦东黑大叶茶。邦东乡是临翔区栽培古茶树最多的乡镇，现存栽培古茶树5000余亩。
凤庆县野生茶树：凤庆县现存野生茶树群落不少于17个，主要分布于诗礼乡古墨、永新乡大尖山、小湾镇香竹箐、小湾镇梅竹等较大区域。主要分布：其中凤山镇6000亩、大寺乡3000亩、勐佑镇2500亩、洛党镇1500亩、德思里乡1800亩、三岔河镇2600亩、雪山镇2000亩。
在凤庆县城以东50多公里的小湾镇锦绣山村，古茶树资源十分丰富，其最大的代表茶树就是闻名世界的香竹箐大茶树，当地人称为“锦绣茶”，学界将其称为“世界茶王之母”或“世界茶祖母”。该古茶树高达10.6米，树冠南北11.5米，东西11.3米，基围5.84米，周围10米以内都没有树木。推算其树龄超过3200年，其“年龄”甚至比秦始皇年长近1000岁，就在这棵茶树的附近，还有她的子孙茶树1400多棵，茶海绿波、生机盎然。“茶祖母”伟岸的身姿傲立于壮丽的澜沧江大峡谷中，穿越了3000年的历史仍枝繁叶茂，朴拙而高贵。
云县野生茶树：古茶园茶树群落分布于自然保护区的大朝山、爱华镇黄竹林箐、幸福镇大宗山万明山和漫湾镇白山村、大丙山等。栽培古茶园有2.3万亩，主要分布在大寨镇、爱华镇、后箐乡、茶房乡等地。
永德县野生茶树：茶树群落分布地理区主要在大雪山自然保护区和棠梨山自然保护区，以及澜沧江水系的秧琅河和怒江水系的双河、淘金河、四十八道河、南汀河、永康河、德党河、赛米河流域。栽培古茶树：0.5万亩，主要有班卡乡放牛场栽培古茶园、玉化古茶园、忙肺古茶园、梅子箐古茶树、团山古茶园等。
King of Tea Tree in Nannuoshan Village: Located in the new stockaded village of the half slope of Nannuoshan Village, Gelanghe Township, Menghai County, with an altitude of 1,700 m.It is a tree-shaped small arbor with a height of 5.3 m, a width of 9.35×7.5 m, a base circumference of 2.4 m, and an age of about 800 years.
Big Tea Tree in Hekai Village: It is located at the junction of New and old Manong Stockaded Villages of Hekai Village, Menghun Town, Menghai County, with an altitude of 1,600 meters.It is a tree-shaped arbor with a height of 3.8 m, a width of 7.3×6.55 m, a base circumference of 2.12 m and an age of about 700 years.
3.Ancient Tea Trees in Lincang City
Lincang is an important geographical origin center and cultivation origin center of tea trees in the world.It is also the first area to discover and utilize tea.Lincang is rich in tea tree resources.On the land of 24,000 square kilometers, there are 800,000 mu of wild ancient tea communities distributed in seven counties and one district of the city.
Wild tea tree in Linxiang District: located in Yingpan Mountain, Shuiquan, Boshang Town,to Nanmeicao Mountain, and Bondong Snow Mountain.The representative community is the wild tea tree community in Nanmei Township.It is distributed in Xianrenqing, Tiechangqing,Nanhuashan, Chashanpo, etc.of Pojiao Village.The main varieties are Mengku big leaf tea,Fengqing long leaf tea and Bangdong black big leaf tea.Bangdong Township is the township which has the most cultivated ancient tea trees in Linxiang District, with more than 5,000 mu of cultivated ancient tea trees.
Wild tea tree in Fengqing County: There are no less than 17 wild tea tree communities in Fengxian County, mainly distributed in Gumo in Shili Township, Dajianshan in Yongxin Township, Xiangzhuqing in Xiaowan Town and Meizhu in Xiaowan Town.Main distribution:6,000 mu in Fengshan Town, 3,000 mu in Dasi Township, 2,500 mu in Mengyou Town, 1,500 mu in Luodang Town, 1,800 mu in Desili Township, 2,600 mu in Sanchahe Town and 2,000 mu in Xueshan Town.
In Jinxiushan Village, Xiaowan Town, over 50 kilometers east of Fengqing County, there are rich ancient tea tree resources, among which the biggest representative tea tree is the worldfamous Xiangzhuqing Big Tea Tree, which is called "Jinxiu Tea" by locals and called "Mother of the King of Tea in the World" or "Grandmother of Tea in the world" by the academic circle.This ancient tea tree is 10.6 meters high, with a crown of 11.5 meters from north to south, 11.3 meters from east to west, a base circumference of 5.84 meters.There is no tree within 10 meters around it.It is estimated that it is over 3,200 years old.It might be even nearly 1,000 years older than the First Emperor of Qin.Just near this tea tree, there are more than 1,400 tea trees of her descendants,forming a tea ocean full of vitality." Grandmother of Tea" stands proudly in the magnificent Grand Canyon of Lancang River.It is still flourishing, simple and noble 3,000 years later.
Wild tea tree in Yunxian County: Ancient tea gardens are distributed in Dachaoshan,Huangzhulinqing in Aihua Town, Wanming Mountain and Dazong Mountain in Xingfu Town,Baishan Village and Dabing Mountain in Manwan Town in the Nature Reserve.There are 23,000 mu of cultivated ancient tea gardens, mainly distributed in Dazhai Town, Aihua Town, Houqing Township, Chafang Township, etc.
Wild tea tree in Yongde County: Tea tree communities are mainly distributed in the Snow Mountain Nature Reserve and Tangli Mountain Nature Reserve, as well as basins of Yanglang River in Lancang River system and Shuanghe River, Taojin River, Sishibadao River, Nanting River, Yongkang River, Dedang River and Saimi River in Nujiang River system.Cultivated ancient tea trees: 5 thousand mu, mainly including the Fangniuchang Cultivated Ancient Tea Garden, Yuhua Ancient Tea Garden, Mangfei Ancient Tea Garden, Meiziqing Ancient Tea Garden, Tuanshan Ancient Tea Garden, etc.of Banka Township.
镇康县野生茶树群落：有三台山茶叶箐古茶树群落、绿萌塘野生茶群落、忙丙岔路塞野生茶树群落等。
双江县野生茶树群落：勐库邦骂大雪山自然保护区和忙糯、大文、邦丙乡的原始森林和次生林中，均为大理茶。
耿马县野生茶树群落：主要分布在大青山自然保护区、大兴乡邦骂大雪山自然保护区、芒洪乡大浪坝水库周边原始林及次生林中。代表性栽培古茶园有芒洪户南山古茶园、勐撒芒见古茶园、翁达古茶园、勐简大寨古茶园等。
沧源县野生茶树群落：主要分布在单甲、糯良、勐角、勐董四乡镇相连的范俄山、芒告大山、窝坎大山、大黑山，海拔1700～2489米的范围内原始森林和次生林中。栽培古茶园0.02万亩，代表性茶园：帕迫古茶园。