Hong Kong Camellia watercolour painting
1977
In Wild Flowers of Hong Kong Around the Year
Painted by Beryl Walden
Hong Kong Camellia watercolour painting
1951
Painted by Geoffrey Herklots
In The Hong Kong Countryside: Throughout the Seasons
The University of Hong Kong Libraries Collection
The most well-known botanical painting of Hong Kong Camellia was painted by biologist Geoffrey Herklots from the University of Hong Kong. In his book, Herklots mentioned Eyre had found only three trees in 1849. Thanks to a century’s worth of protection, there were already some hundreds of plants at the top of an old Aberdeen road during his time. Herklots had included a line illustration from 1847 with a scale in his book.
1851
Replica of Hong Kong Camellia watercolour painting and a note
© Royal Botanical Gardens Board of Directors
Among Eyre's paintings, no. 163 was originally labeled Camellia japonica (Japanese Camellia), with notes indicating that the species was discovered in 1851 at Wong Nai Chung. While the caption also described a Japanese Camellia, the red filaments and brown sepals in the painting indicate key features of the Hong Kong Camellia. A note “C. hongkongensis” was later added to the painting, presumably as it was only confirmed to be a new species in 1859.
Flora Hongkongensis
1861
By George Bentham
The entry of Camellia hongkongensis in Flora Hongkongensis shows that Champion once thought Eyre had only found a Japanese Camellia. This was later disputed by Seemann who regarded the species as a new discovery, pointing to the different leaf shape, and the missing feature of a smooth, hairless ovary.
1851
Hong Kong Camellia watercolour painting and a note
© Royal Botanical Gardens Board of Directors
Among Eyre's paintings, no. 163 was originally labeled Camellia japonica (Japanese Camellia), with notes indicating that the species was discovered in 1851 at Wong Nai Chung. While the caption also described a Japanese Camellia, the red filaments and brown sepals in the painting indicate key features of the Hong Kong Camellia. A note “C. hongkongensis” was later added to the painting, presumably as it was only confirmed to be a new species in 1859.
.png)
Common Name: Hong Kong Camellia
Scientific Name: Camellia hongkongensis
Flowering period: December-January
Native to Hong Kong
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Endangered (EN)
Listed in Rare and Valuable Plants of Hong Kong
Hong Kong Camellia
Eyre’s discovery and
the records by other naturalists
Among the new species discovered by Eyre, the most notable is Hong Kong Camellia. It is a shrub with raspberry red flowers, about 5cm in diameter, and is the only species with red flowers among Hong Kong's native camellias. It was first discovered by Eyre in 1849 at Victoria Peak where he found only three of them in a ravine. The following year, Seemann brought the collected specimens to Kew, where they were confirmed as a species new to science and named Camellia hongkongensis in 1859. After years of conservation, Hong Kong Camellia can now be found on the Peak, Pokfulam, and Mount Parker, though it is still considered an endangered species.
Exhibits
Other Stories
Discovering Hong Kong Camellia
Type specimen of Hong Kong Camellia
© Royal Botanical Gardens Board of Directors
A type specimen is a specimen that taxonomists use to describe and name a species. The characteristics of the type specimen form the basis for later identifications. Theoretically, there is only one type specimen for each named species. The type specimen of Hong Kong Camellia is in the collection of Kew. This specimen was first labelled as C. japonica (Japanese Camellia), later amended to Camellia hongkongensis after being confirmed as a new species and named by Seemann.
1850
1958
“The camellias of Hong Kong”
Excerpt of Hong Kong Naturography by Yip Linfeng
Hong Kong Naturography (2017)
In this essay, Yip first describes the location where Hong Kong Camellias can be found, then he gives a detailed account of a tall one in bloom on Luard Road near the Peak Tram Terminus. Continuing to describe its characteristics, he notes: “It is not just pretty, but adorable.’ He also mentions how the species is sold at Chinese New Year flower markets: “The price is not cheap, but because it is a woody flowering tree, the flowers can last for a while. If it is well taken care of, it will continue to bloom the next season, so it is a bargain.”
In Search of Flora
By Human Ip
Ip begins her story with a walk around Lugard Road at the end of the year where she spotted Hong Kong Camellia in bloom. She then describes its features, emphasising the smoothness of its branch and its saw-toothed leaf margins that resemble small butter knives.
2014
"Hong Kong Camellia"
Embroidery of Hong Kong Camellia
2019
On loan from Sandy Lam
Photographed in 2020 at Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens
2020
Hong Kong Camellia
Hong Kong Camellia watercolor painting
2021
By Human Ip
