''Gardenia taitensis'', also called Tahitian gardenia or tiaré flower, is a species of plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is an evergreen

tropical shrub Tropical vegetation is any vegetation in tropical latitudes. Plant life that occurs in climates that are warm year-round is in general more biologically diverse that in other latitudes. Some tropical areas may receive abundant rain the whole ye ...

that grows to tall and has glossy dark green leaves that are long and are oppositely arranged along the stem. The flower is creamy white and pinwheel-shaped with 5–9 lobes, each long and fragrant. Native to the highland shores of the

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

, it has the distinction of being one of the few cultivated plants native to Polynesia. It is the

national flower In a number of countries, plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas. Some countries have a country-wide floral emblem; others in addition have symbols representing subdivisions. Different processes have been used to ...

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = " Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of Frenc ...

and the Cook Islands. The name Tahitian gardenia is somewhat a misnomer because it is neither native nor naturalized in Tahiti. The first acceptable scientific name for the plant was based on Tahitian specimens collected by Jules Dumont d'Urville in 1824. Hence the scientific name of ''Gardenia taitensis'', and the English name of Tahitian gardenia or Tiaré flower. It was first collected in Tahiti, by the Forsters on Captain Cook's first Pacific voyage (1768–1771), although it was misidentified as

Gardenia jasminoides ''Gardenia jasminoides'', commonly known as gardenia, is an evergreen flowering plant in the coffee family Rubiaceae. It is native to parts of South-East Asia. Wild plants range from 30 centimetres to 3 metres (about 1 to 10 feet) in height. The ...

. The plant originates from Melanesia and Western Polynesia. It is an

aboriginal Aborigine, aborigine or aboriginal may refer to: *Aborigines (mythology), in Roman mythology * Indigenous peoples, general term for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area *One of several groups of indigenous peoples, see ...

introduction to the Cook Islands and

and possibly Hawaii.

Common uses

Monoï oil

This oil is used mainly for cosmetic purposes as a hair or skin treatment. In order to obtain the

monoi oil Monoï oil is an infused perfume-oil made from soaking the petals of Tahitian gardenias (best known as Tiaré flowers) in coconut oil. Monoï (pronounced Mah-noy) is a Tahitian word meaning "scented oil" in the Reo-Maohi language. Monoï is wid ...

(pronounced Mah-noy), tiare flowers are infused in

coconut oil frameless , right , alt = A cracked coconut and a bottle of coconut oil Coconut oil (or coconut butter) is an edible oil derived from the wick, meat, and milk of the coconut palm fruit. Coconut oil is a white solid fat; in warmer climates duri ...

. Monoï is a Tahitian word meaning "scented oil" in the Reo-Maohi language language. The maceration must last at least ten days and requires at least ten Tiare flowers per liter of refined oil. This manufacturing process, common to all producers of "monoï de Tahiti", is a method similar to "enfleurage" ''(see enfleurage)'' in perfumery. Tiaré is also used in niche

perfumery Perfume (, ; french: parfum) is a mixture of fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agreeable scent. Th ...

but its prohibitively high cost excludes use in commercial perfumery. Notable examples include ''Tiare'' by Ormonde Jayne launched in 2009 and ''Tiare'' by Chantecaille. The Tiaré flowers are hand picked and then laid unopened in oil for 15 days to obtain the

extract An extract is a substance made by extracting a part of a raw material, often by using a solvent such as ethanol, oil or water. Extracts may be sold as tinctures, absolutes or in powder form. The aromatic principles of many spices, nuts, h ...

Flower necklaces

Polynesian people in the

pacific islands Collectively called the Pacific Islands, the islands in the Pacific Ocean are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of se ...

use the extremely fragrant blooms in their flower necklaces, which are called "Ei" in the Cook Islands, "Hei" in Tahiti or " Lei" in Hawaii. In some Pacific island

traditions A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...

, wearing a flower indicates relationship status. A flower worn on the left ear means the person is taken and on the right ear means available.

Herbal medicine

The plant is used in traditional herbalism. For example, in Tonga a bark infusion is dripped into the nose, eyes, and mouth to treat " ghost sickness". In Samoa, parts of the plant are used for inflammation.Polynesian herbal medicine By

W. Arthur Whistler Wayne Arthur Whistler (October 12, 1944 – April 2, 2020) was an American ethnobotanist, academic and writer. Whistler, an adjunct professor at the University of Hawaii's Department of Botany, was an expert on tropical flora of the Pacific Isla ...

(1992) p. 52, 69, 15
Google Books
/ref>

Gallery

File:Starr 070221-4650 Gardenia sp..jpg, File:Starr 080117-1711 Gardenia taitensis.jpg, File:Starr 070221-4645 Gardenia sp..jpg, File:Tiare Tahiti.jpg, File:Starr 070221-4638 Gardenia sp..jpg,

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1245878 taitensis Flora of the Southwestern Pacific Crops originating from the Pacific Tropical flora Medicinal plants of Oceania