Tracking Brazil’s Colonization Footprints: First record of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze – Theaceae) naturalized in the Atlantic Forest Hotspot

Abstract

The colonization of Brazil by Portugal left deep marks in Brazil’s current society and economy. The same applies to the country’s biodiversity, with several introduced plants persisting as naturalized or invasive species. Among these, the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, is a notable case. The species was first cultivated in Rio de Janeiro state during the 19th century, but the crops were later abandoned mostly due to the presence of parasite fungi in cultivations, so that the species’ cultivation continued in other states only. During recent fieldwork in the Atlantic Forest in the municipality of Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro state, naturalized individuals of the tea plant were discovered. This finding, alongside ecological evidence, highlights a new threat to the biodiversity of an area of high species endemism. We provide historical information on the introduction of the species in Brazil and discuss the threats it imposes to the flora in a world hotspot. Our finding adds C. sinensis to the list of naturalized plants of Flora do Brasil 2020 and emphasizes the importance of monitoring the invasive potential of the species in the area, given its allelopathic potential on the germination of other species and competition with native plants.