"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> I'm leaning toward the
> suggestion it is an ungerminated leaf structure.
>
> Jim
>

What exactly do you mean by that? Leaf does not actually come from a
germinated state, unless we are talking about tiny, barely visible ones that
just comes out of the bud. And these are no Camelia teabuds for sure.
Without exposure to the light a leaf cannot develop neither its size, no its
color, so if after numerous brews these "nuggets" open up into something
looking like a developed leaf that mean that this leaf was rolled into that
"nugget" state after it has a chance to fully develop.
May be they do not cover this particular tea with ginseng material, but they
may use something else.

Sasha.