Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis

ഗന്ധരാജൻ

Family
:
Rubiaceae
Synonym
:
Gardenia florida L.
Common Names
:
Bush gardenia, Cape jasmine
Flowering Period
:
August-May
Distribution
:
Native of East Asia
Habitat
:
Grown as garden plant
Habit
:
Shrub
Uses
:

Ornamental. The fragrant flowers are used for scenting tea. The pulp of  the fruit is used in China and Japan for colouring food yellow. The whole plant  is antispasmodic, antiperiodic, cathartic, anthelmintic and external-antiseptic. The  fruits are used against jaundice and diseases of the kidneys and lungs. An  essential oil is extracted from the flowers. It is used in perfumery.

അലങ്കാരച്ചെടിയാണ്. ചായക്ക് സുഗന്ധമേകാൻ ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നു. മഞ്ഞ നിറം നല്കാൻ ഫലത്തിന്റെ സത്ത് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നു.

Key Characters
:

Bushy shrubs. Leaves opposite or ternately whorled.  Flowers solitary, often double, terminal at the forks of branches or  becoming lateral.