''Gardenia storckii,'' locally known as Mbolovatu or Ndrenga, is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the family

Rubiaceae The Rubiaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules ...

. It is the only gardenia occurring abundantly in the forested area of

Serua Province :See also Serua (disambiguation) Serua is one of Fiji's fourteen Provinces. Its 830 square kilometers occupy the southernmost areas of Viti Levu, being one of 8 provinces based on Fiji's largest island. It had a population of 15,461 at the 2007 ...

in southeastern

Viti Levu Viti Levu (pronounced ) is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji. It is the site of the nation's capital, Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population. Geology Fiji lies in a tectonically complex area between the Australian P ...

, to which its range is confined. It has been noted in dense, dry, or secondary

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

as a slender tree 2-15m high and with a trunk to 14 cm in diameter. Flowers have been obtained in January through March, and fruits between April and November. It produces an abundance of latex. The resiniferous buds are used for chewing, and an extract of the roots is used medicinally for

constipation Constipation is a bowel dysfunction that makes bowel movements infrequent or hard to pass. The stool is often hard and dry. Other symptoms may include abdominal pain, bloating, and feeling as if one has not completely passed the bowel movement ...

References

Endemic flora of Fiji storckii Near threatened plants Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Daniel Oliver {{ixoroideae-stub