Jasmine

Jasmine ( taxonomic name: ''Jasminum''; , ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are widely cultivated for the characteristic fragrance of their flowers. A number of unrelated plants contain the word "jasmine" in their common names (see Other plants called "jasmine").

Description

Jasmine can be either deciduous (leaves falling in autumn) or evergreen (green all year round), and can be erect, spreading, or climbing shrubs and vines. Their leaves are borne in opposing or alternating arrangement and can be of simple, trifoliate, or pinnate formation. The flowers are typically around in diameter. They are white or yellow, although in rare instances they can be slightly reddish. The flowers are borne in cymose clusters with a minimum of three flowers, though they can also be solitary on the ends of branchlets. Each flower has about four to nine petals, two locules, and one to four ovules. They have two stamens with very short filaments. The bracts are linear or ovate. The calyx is bell-shaped. They are usually very fragrant. The fruits of jasmines are berries that turn black when ripe. The basic chromosome number of the genus is 13, and most species are diploid (2n=26). However, natural polyploidy exists, particularly in ''Jasminum sambac'' (triploid 3n=39), ''Jasminum flexile'' (tetraploid 4n=52), '' Jasminum mesnyi'' (triploid 3n=39), and ''Jasminum angustifolium'' (tetraploid 4n=52).

Distribution and habitat

Jasmines are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Eurasia, Africa, Australasia and Oceania, although only one of the 200 species is native to Europe.C.C. Townsend and Evan Guest (1980). "Jasminum officinale," in ''Flora of Iraq,'' Vol. 4.1. Baghdad, pp. 513–519. Their center of diversity is in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Several jasmine species have become naturalized in Mediterranean Europe. For example, the so-called Spanish jasmine (''Jasminum grandiflorum'') was originally from West Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Northeast Africa, and East Africa, and is now naturalized in the Iberian peninsula.

''Jasminum fluminense'' (which is sometimes known by the inaccurate name "Brazilian Jasmine") and ''Jasminum dichotomum'' (Gold Coast Jasmine) are invasive species in Hawaii and Florida. ''Jasminum polyanthum'', also known as White Jasmine, is an invasive weed in Australia.

Taxonomy

Species belonging to the genus are classified under the tribe Jasmineae of the olive family (Oleaceae). ''Jasminum'' is divided into five sections—''Alternifolia'', ''Jasminum'', ''Primulina'', ''Trifoliolata'', and ''Unifoliolata''.

Etymology

The name () is derived from the Middle Persian word . After the Muslim conquest of Persia it was borrowed as () in Arabic. Through Arabic the name entered Ottoman Turkish and then to Middle French around 1570. The word was first used in English in the 16th century.

Species

Species include:

* '' J. abyssinicum'' Hochst. ex DC. – forest jasmine
* '' J. adenophyllum'' Wall. – bluegrape jasmine, pinwheel jasmine, princess jasmine
* '' J. andamanicum'' N.P.Balakr. & N.G.Nair
* '' J. angulare'' Vahl
* '' J. angustifolium'' (L.) Willd.
* '' J. auriculatum'' Vahl – Indian jasmine, needle-flower jasmine
* '' J. azoricum'' L.
* '' J. beesianum'' Forrest & Diels – red jasmine
* '' J. dichotomum'' Vahl – Gold Coast jasmine
* '' J. didymum'' G.Forst.
* '' J. dispermum'' Wall.
* '' J. elegans'' Knobl.
* '' J. elongatum'' (P.J.Bergius) Willd.
* '' J. floridum'' Bunge
* '' J. fluminense'' Vell.
* '' J. fruticans'' L.
* '' J. grandiflorum'' L. – Catalan jasmine, jasmin odorant, royal jasmine, Spanish jasmine
* '' J. grandiflorum'' L.Vell.
* '' J. humile'' L. – Italian jasmine, Italian yellow jasmine
* '' J. lanceolarium'' Roxb.
* '' J. laurifolium'' Roxb. ex Hornem. angel-wing jasmine
* '' J. malabaricum'' Wight
* '' J. mesnyi'' Hance – Japanese jasmine, primrose jasmine, yellow jasmine
* '' J. multiflorum'' (Burm.f.) Andrews – Indian jasmine, star jasmine, winter jasmine
* '' J. multipartitum'' Hochst. – starry wild jasmine
* '' J. nervosum'' Lour.
* '' J. nobile'' C.B.Clarke
* '' J. nudiflorum'' Lindl. – winter jasmine
* '' J. odoratissimum'' L. – yellow jasmine
* '' J. officinale'' L. – common jasmine, jasmine, jessamine, poet's jasmine, summer jasmine, white jasmine
* '' J. parkeri'' Dunn – dwarf jasmine
* '' J. polyanthum'' Franch.
* '' J. sambac'' (L.) Aiton – Arabian jasmine, Sambac jasmine
* '' J. simplicifolium'' G.Forst.
* '' J. sinense'' Hemsl.
* '' J. subhumile'' W.W.Sm.
* '' J. subtriplinerve'' Blume
* '' J. tortuosum'' Willd.
* '' J. urophyllum'' Hemsl.
* '' J. volubile'' Jacq..

File: Jasminum sambac 'Grand Duke of Tuscany'.jpg, ''Jasminum sambac'' "Grand Duke of Tuscany"
File:Jsambac.jpg, A double-flowered cultivar of ''Jasminum sambac'' in flower with an unopened bud.
File: Jasmine Bud.jpg, Jasmine buds
File: Jasmine lifecycle.jpg, Lifecycle of Arabian jasmine flower
File: Bunch of jasmine flowers.jpg, Jasmine flowers

Cultivation and uses

Widely cultivated for its flowers, jasmine is enjoyed in the garden, as a houseplant, and as cut flowers. The flowers are worn by women in their hair in South Asia and southeast Asia.

Jasmine tea

Jasmine tea is traditionally consumed in China, where it is called Jasmine-flower tea (茉莉花茶; pinyin: mò lì huā chá). ''Jasminum sambac'' flowers are used to make jasmine tea, which often has a base of green tea or white tea, but sometimes an Oolong base is used. Tea leaves and jasmine flowers are put in machines that control temperature and humidity. It takes about four hours for the tea to absorb the fragrance and flavor of the jasmine blossoms. For the highest grades of jasmine tea, this process may be repeated up to seven times. As the tea absorbs moisture from the fresh Jasmine flowers, it must be refired to prevent spoilage. The used flowers may be removed from the final product, as the flowers contain no more aroma. Giant fans are used to blow away and remove the petals from the denser tea leaves.

In Okinawa, Japan, Jasmine tea is known as ''sanpin cha''.

Jasmonates

Jasmine gave name to the jasmonate plant hormones, as methyl jasmonate isolated from the oil of ''Jasminum grandiflorum'' led to the discovery of the molecular structure of jasmonates. Jasmonates occur ubiquitously across the plant kingdom, having key roles in responses to environmental cues, such as heat or cold stress, and participate in the signal transduction pathways of many plants.

Plantation

Jasmine plantation is usually done using the stem of an existing plant, or one having roots. On rare occasions, the flowers bear dark purple fruits with seeds. The seeds will germinate when sowed and nurtured properly. The flowering shrubs are usually trimmed pre-summer, as fresh branches grow and bear flowers during the summer.

Cultural importance

Jasmine is cultivated commercially for domestic and industrial uses, such as the perfume industry. It is used in rituals like marriages, religious ceremonies, and festivals. Jasmine flower vendors sell garlands of jasmine, or in the case of the thicker ''motiyaa'' (in Hindi) or ''mograa'' (in Marathi) varieties, bunches of jasmine are common. They may be found around entrances to temples, on major thoroughfares, and in major business areas.

A change in presidency in Tunisia in 1987 and the Tunisian Revolution of 2011 are both called " Jasmine revolutions" in reference to the flower.

" Jasmine" is a common female given name.

Image: Tea patterns p1160028.jpg, surface of Jasmine tea
File:Chinesischer Maler des 12. Jahrhunderts (I) 001.jpg, '' The White Jasmine Branch'', painting of ink and color on silk by Chinese artist Zhao Chang, early 12th century
File: Meenakshi Sundareswarar.jpg, Jasmine used as garland
File: Jasmine Flower full bloom on the plant near Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. 01.jpg, Jasmine flower blooming

Symbolism

Several countries and states consider jasmine as a national symbol.

* Syria: The Syrian city Damascus is called the City of Jasmine.
* Hawaii: ''Jasminum sambac'' ("''pikake''") is a common flower used in leis and is the subject of many Hawaiian songs.
* Indonesia: ''Jasminum sambac'' is the national flower, adopted in 1990. It goes by the name "''melati putih''" and is used in wedding ceremonies for ethnic Indonesians, especially on the island of Java.
* Pakistan: '' Jasminum officinale'' is known as the "''chambeli''" or "''yasmin''", it is the national flower.
* Philippines: ''Jasminum sambac'' is the national flower. Adopted in 1935, it is known as "''sampaguita''" in the islands. It is usually strung in garlands which are then used to adorn religious images.
* Thailand: Jasmine flowers are used as a symbol of motherhood.
* Tunisia: The national flower of Tunisia is jasmine. It was chosen as a symbol for the 2010 Tunisian Revolution.

Other plants called "jasmine"

*Brazilian jasmine ''Mandevilla sanderi''
*Cape jasmine ''Gardenia''
*Carolina jasmine ''Gelsemium sempervirens''
*Chilean jasmine ''Mandevilla laxa''
*Jasmine rice, a type of long-grain rice
*Madagascar jasmine '' Stephanotis floribunda''
*New Zealand jasmine ''Parsonsia capsularis''
*Night-blooming jasmine ''Cestrum nocturnum''
*Night-flowering jasmine ''Nyctanthes arbor-tristis''
*Orange jasmine ''Murraya paniculata''
*Red jasmine ''Plumeria rubra''
*Star jasmine, Confederate jasmine ''Trachelospermum''
*Tree jasmine (disambiguation)

References

Further reading

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External links

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Flora of Samoa
Garden plants
Incense material
Oleaceae genera
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus