The original ingredient of "Earl Grey" tea

Beside tea leaves from Camellia sinensis, the British merchant in order to overcome shortage of tea, had create a combination of several plants leaves.

The scented tea were produce by combining (or adulteration);
1. Chloranthus inconspicuus
2. Jasminum sambac
3. Gardenia florida
4. Murraya exotica
5. Aglaia odorata
6. Orange and lemon leaves

This was the original combination of bergamot-flavored Earl Grey tea which now considered as 'great tea'

Source : Seed of Change, author by Henry Hobhouse

Seeds of Change

Henry Hobhouse

Shoemaker & Hoard, 2005 - Nature - 381 pages

A personal and highly original take on the history of six commercial plants, "Seeds of Change illuminates how sugar, tea, cotton, the potato, quinine, and the cocoa plant have shaped our past. In this fascinating account, the impassioned Henry Hobhouse explains the consequences of these plants with attention-grabbing historical moments. While most records of history focus on human influence, Hobhouse emphasizes how plants too are a central and influential factor in the historical process. "Seeds of Change is a captivating and invaluable addition to our understanding of modern culture.