camellia

 
Pronunciation: /kəˈmiːlɪə, -ˈmɛlɪə/

noun

  • an evergreen East Asian shrub related to the tea plant, grown for its showy flowers and shiny leaves.
    • Genus Camellia, family Theaceae: several species, in particular the common camellia (C. japonica)

Origin:

modern Latin, named by Linnaeus after Joseph Kamel (Latinized as Camellus), Moravian botanist (1661–1706), who described the flora of Luzon