Jasmine ( taxonomic name: ''Jasminum''; , ) is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of shrubs and

vine A vine (Latin ''vīnea'' "grapevine", "vineyard", from ''vīnum'' "wine") is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themsel ...

s in the olive family (

Oleaceae Oleaceae, also known as the olive family, is a taxonomic family of flowering shrubs, trees, and a few lianas in the order Lamiales, It presently comprises 28 genera, one of which is recently extinct.Peter S. Green. 2004. "Oleaceae". pages 2 ...

). It contains around 200 species native to

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

and warm

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...

regions of

Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelago ...

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, and

Oceania Oceania (, , ) is a geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern and Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of and a population of around 44.5 million ...

. 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 In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...

(leaves falling in autumn) or

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

(green all year round), and can be erect, spreading, or climbing shrubs and

s. 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 An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...

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

ovule In seed plants, the ovule is the structure that gives rise to and contains the female reproductive cells. It consists of three parts: the '' integument'', forming its outer layer, the ''nucellus'' (or remnant of the megasporangium), and the ...

s. 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 A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, rasp ...

that turn black when ripe. The basic

chromosome A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins are ...

number of the genus is 13, and most species are diploid (2n=26). However, natural

polyploidy Polyploidy is a condition in which the biological cell, cells of an organism have more than one pair of (Homologous chromosome, homologous) chromosomes. Most species whose cells have Cell nucleus, nuclei (eukaryotes) are diploid, meaning they ha ...

exists, particularly in ''

Jasminum sambac ''Jasminum sambac'' (Arabian jasmine or Sambac jasmine) is a species of jasmine native to tropical Asia, from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia. It is cultivated in many places, especially West Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is ...

'' (triploid 3n=39), ''

Jasminum flexile 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 cultiva ...

'' (tetraploid 4n=52), '' Jasminum mesnyi'' (triploid 3n=39), and ''

Jasminum angustifolium ''Jasminum angustifolium'', the wild jasmine, is a species of jasmine native to India, Sri Lanka and the Andaman Islands. It is a climbing shrub with a smooth stem and minutely pubescent branchlets. The flowers are approximately in diameter, and ...

'' (tetraploid 4n=52).

Distribution and habitat

Jasmines are native to

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 ''Jasminum grandiflorum'', also known variously as the Spanish jasmine, Royal jasmine, Catalan jasmine, among others, is a species of jasmine native to South Asia, the Arabian peninsula, East and Northeast Africa and the Yunnan and Sichuan region ...

'') was originally from

West Asia Western Asia, West Asia, or Southwest Asia, is the westernmost subregion of the larger geographical region of Asia, as defined by some academics, UN bodies and other institutions. It is almost entirely a part of the Middle East, and includes Ana ...

, the

Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...

Northeast Africa Northeast Africa, or ''Northeastern Africa'' or Northern East Africa as it was known in the past, is a geographic regional term used to refer to the countries of Africa situated in and around the Red Sea. The region is intermediate between North ...

, and East Africa, and is now naturalized in the

Iberian peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...

. ''

Jasminum fluminense Jasmine (Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic name: ''Jasminum''; , ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae). It contains around 200 species native to Tropical climate, tropical and warm Temperate climate, temperate regions of E ...

'' (which is sometimes known by the inaccurate name "Brazilian Jasmine") and ''

Jasminum dichotomum ''Jasminium dichotomum'', the Gold Coast jasmine, is a species of jasmine, in the family Oleaceae. It is an evergreen climber which grows as a rambling shrub or woody vine. The flowers are quite fragrant and open at night, coloured pink when budd ...

'' (Gold Coast Jasmine) are invasive species in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

and

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. ''

Jasminum polyanthum ''Jasminum polyanthum'' (), the many-flowered jasmine or pink jasmine, is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae, native to China and Myanmar. A strong evergreen twining climber, it is especially noted for its abundant, highly ...

'', also known as White Jasmine, is an

invasive weed An invasive species otherwise known as an alien is an introduced organism that becomes overpopulated and harms its new environment. Although most introduced species are neutral or beneficial with respect to other species, invasive species ad ...

in Australia.

Taxonomy

Species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

belonging to the

are classified under the tribe Jasmineae of the olive family (

). ''Jasminum'' is divided into five sections—''Alternifolia'', ''Jasminum'', ''Primulina'', ''Trifoliolata'', and ''Unifoliolata''. Jasmine Rose photo

Etymology

The name () is derived from the

Middle Persian Middle Persian or Pahlavi, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg () in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasanian Empire. For some time after the Sasanian collapse, Middle ...

word . After the

Muslim conquest of Persia The Muslim conquest of Persia, also known as the Arab conquest of Iran, was carried out by the Rashidun Caliphate from 633 to 654 AD and led to the fall of the Sasanian Empire as well as the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion. Th ...

it was borrowed as () in

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...

. Through Arabic the name entered Ottoman Turkish and then to

Middle French Middle French (french: moyen français) is a historical division of the French language that covers the period from the 14th to the 16th century. It is a period of transition during which: * the French language became clearly distinguished from ...

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, ''

'' "Grand Duke of Tuscany" File:Jsambac.jpg, A

double-flowered "Double-flowered" describes varieties of flowers with extra petals, often containing flowers within flowers. The double-flowered trait is often noted alongside the scientific name with the abbreviation ''fl. pl.'' (''flore pleno'', a Latin ablat ...

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 Cut flowers are flowers or flower buds (often with some stem and leaf) that have been cut from the plant bearing it. It is usually removed from the plant for decorative use. Typical uses are in vase displays, wreaths and garlands. Many garde ...

. The flowers are worn by women in their hair in South Asia and southeast Asia.

Jasmine tea

Jasmine tea Jasmine tea ( or ) is tea scented with the aroma of jasmine blossoms. Typically, jasmine tea has green tea as the tea base; however, white tea and black tea are also used. The resulting flavour of jasmine tea is subtly sweet and highly fragra ...

is traditionally consumed in China, where it is called Jasmine-flower tea (茉莉花茶; pinyin: mò lì huā chá). ''

'' flowers are used to make jasmine tea, which often has a base of green tea or

white tea White tea may refer to one of several styles of tea which generally feature young or minimally processed leaves of the ''Camellia sinensis'' plant. Currently there is no generally accepted definition of white tea and very little internationa ...

, 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 is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi). Naha is the capital and largest city ...

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

Jasmonates

Jasmine gave name to the

jasmonate Jasmonate (JA) and its derivatives are lipid-based plant hormones that regulate a wide range of processes in plants, ranging from growth and photosynthesis to reproductive development. In particular, JAs are critical for plant defense against herb ...

plant hormones, as

methyl jasmonate Methyl jasmonate (abbreviated MeJA) is a volatile organic compound used in plant defense and many diverse developmental pathways such as seed germination, root growth, flowering, fruit ripening, and senescence. Methyl jasmonate is derived from ...

isolated from the oil of ''

'' led to the discovery of the molecular structure of

s. Jasmonates occur

ubiquitous Omnipresence or ubiquity is the property of being present anywhere and everywhere. The term omnipresence is most often used in a religious context as an attribute of a deity or supreme being, while the term ubiquity is generally used to describ ...

ly across the

plant kingdom Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclude ...

, 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

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

s, on major thoroughfares, and in major business areas. A change in presidency in Tunisia in 1987 and the

Tunisian Revolution The Tunisian Revolution, also called the Jasmine Revolution, was an intensive 28-day campaign of civil resistance. It included a series of street demonstrations which took place in Tunisia, and led to the ousting of longtime president Zine El ...

of 2011 are both called " Jasmine revolutions" in reference to the flower. " Jasmine" is a common female

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a ...

. 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 A national symbol is a symbol of any entity considering and manifesting itself to the world as a national community: the sovereign states but also nations and countries in a state of colonial or other dependence, federal integration, or even an e ...

. * Syria: The Syrian city Damascus is called the City of Jasmine. *

: ''

'' ("''pikake''") is a common flower used in leis and is the subject of many Hawaiian songs. *

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

: ''

'' 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 Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mos ...

. *

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...

: '' Jasminum officinale'' is known as the "''chambeli''" or "''yasmin''", it is the national flower. *

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

: ''

'' is the national flower. Adopted in 1935, it is known as "''

sampaguita ''Jasminum sambac'' (Arabian jasmine or Sambac jasmine) is a species of jasmine native to tropical Asia, from the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia. It is cultivated in many places, especially West Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It i ...

''" in the islands. It is usually strung in garlands which are then used to adorn religious images. *

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

: Jasmine flowers are used as a symbol of motherhood. *

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

: 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 ''Mandevilla sanderi'', the Brazilian jasmine, is a vine belonging to the genus '' Mandevilla''."Botanica. The Illustrated AZ of over 10000 garden plants and how to cultivate them", p. 563. Könemann, 2004. Grown as an ornamental plant, the spec ...

'' *Cape jasmine '' Gardenia'' *Carolina jasmine ''

Gelsemium sempervirens ''Gelsemium sempervirens'' is a twining vine in the family Gelsemiaceae, native to subtropical and tropical America: Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico (Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo),Tabernaemontana divaricata ''Tabernaemontana divaricata'', commonly called pinwheel flower, crape jasmine, East India rosebay, and Nero's crown, is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to South Asia, Southeast Asia and China. In zones where it is not hardy it is grown a ...

'' *Chilean jasmine ''

Mandevilla laxa ''Mandevilla laxa'', commonly known as Chilean jasmine,"Botanica. The Illustrated AZ of over 10000 garden plants and how to cultivate them", pp. 562-563. Könemann, 2004. is an ornamental plant in the genus '' Mandevilla'' of family Apocynaceae. ...

'' *

Jasmine rice Jasmine rice ( th, ข้าวหอมมะลิ; ; ) is a long-grain variety of fragrant rice (also known as aromatic rice). Its fragrance, reminiscent of ''pandan'' (''Pandanus amaryllifolius'') and popcorn, results from the rice plant's n ...

, a type of long-grain rice *Madagascar jasmine '' Stephanotis floribunda'' *New Zealand jasmine '' Parsonsia capsularis'' *Night-blooming jasmine ''

Cestrum nocturnum ''Cestrum nocturnum'', the lady of the night, night-blooming jasmine, night-blooming jessamine, night-scented jessamine, night-scented cestrum or poisonberry, is a species of plant in the potato family Solanaceae. It is native to the West Indies, ...

'' *Night-flowering jasmine ''

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis ''Nyctanthes arbor-tristis'', also known as the Night-flowering jasmine or Parijat (Parvati chi phula), is a species of '' Nyctanthes'' native to South Asia and Southeast Asia.Flora of Pakistan''Nyctanthes arbor-tristis''/ref>AgroForestry Tr ...

'' *Orange jasmine ''

Murraya paniculata ''Murraya paniculata'', commonly known as orange jasmine, orange jessamine, china box or mock orange, is a species of shrub or small tree in the family Rutaceae and is native to South Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia. It has smooth bark, pin ...

'' *Red jasmine ''

Plumeria rubra ''Plumeria rubra'' is a deciduous plant species belonging to the genus ''Plumeria''."Botanica. The Illustrated AZ of over 10000 garden plants and how to cultivate them", p. 691. Könemann, 2004. Originally native to Mexico, Central America, Col ...

'' *Star jasmine, Confederate jasmine ''

Trachelospermum ''Trachelospermum'' Star Jasmine, Confederate Jasmine, is a genus of evergreen woody vines in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1851. All species are native to southern and eastern Asia. They have long stems climbi ...

'' *

Tree jasmine (disambiguation) Tree jasmine is a common name for several plants and may refer to: *''Millingtonia ''Millingtonia hortensis'', the tree jasmine or Indian cork tree, is the sole species in the genus ''Millingtonia'', a tree native to South Asia and South East Asi ...

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Flora of Samoa Garden plants Incense material Oleaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

Description

Distribution and habitat

Taxonomy

Etymology

Species

Cultivation and uses

Jasmine tea

Jasmonates

Plantation

Cultural importance

Symbolism

Other plants called "jasmine"

References

Further reading

External links