Jasmine

Jasmine
Jasminum officinale—Common Jasmine
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Plantae
Clade:Angiosperms
Clade:Eudicots
Clade:Asterids
Order:Lamiales
Family:Oleaceae
Tribe:Jasmineae
Genus:Jasminum
L.
Type species
Jasminum officinale
L.
Species

More than 200, see List of Jasminum species[1][2][3]

Synonyms[4]
  • Jacksonia hort. ex Schltdl
  • Jasminium Dumort.
  • Menodora Humb. & Bonpl.
  • Mogorium Juss.
  • Noldeanthus Knobl.
Common jasmine

Jasmine (taxonomic name Jasminum /ˈjæsmɪnəm/)[5] 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, Australasia 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 born, opposite or alternate. They can be simple, trifoliate, or pinnate. The flowers are typically around 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in diameter. They are white or yellow in color, 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 (2n=39), Jasminum flexile (2n=52), Jasminum mesnyi (2n=39), and Jasminum angustifolium (2n=52).[6]

Distribution and habitat

Jasmines are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Eurasia, Australasia and Oceania, although only one of the 200 species is native to Europe.[7][8] Their center of diversity is in South Asia and Southeast Asia.[9]

A number of jasmine species have become naturalized in Mediterranean Europe. For example, the so-called Spanish jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum) was originally from Iran and western South Asia, and is now naturalized in the Iberian peninsula.[6]

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.[10][11] Jasminum polyanthum, also known as White Jasmine, is an invasive weed in Australia.[12]

Taxonomy

Species belonging to genus Jasminum are classified under the tribe Jasmineae of the olive family (Oleaceae).[6] Jasminum is divided into five sections—Alternifolia, Jasminum, Primulina, Trifoliolata, and Unifoliolata.[4]

The genus name is derived from the Persian Yasameen ("gift from God") through Arabic and Latin.[13][14][15]

Selected species

Jasminum sambac 'Grand Duke of Tuscany'
A double-flowered cultivar of Jasminum sambac in flower with an unopened bud.
Jasmine buds

Species include:[16]

Lifecycle of Arabian jasmine flower
Jasmine flowers

Cultivation and uses

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

Jasmine tea

Green tea with jasmine flowers

Jasmine tea is often consumed in China, where it is called jasmine-flower tea (茉莉花茶; pinyin: mò lì huā chá). Jasminum sambac flowers are also used to make jasmine tea, which often has a base of green tea or white tea, but sometimes an Oolong base is used. The flowers are put in machines that control temperature and humidity. It takes about four hours for the tea to absorb the fragrance and flavour 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.[17] 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.[18]

Cultural importance

Madurai, a city in Tamil Nadu is famous for its jasmine production. In the western and southern states of India, jasmine is cultivated for are use in homes, worship, and hair ornaments. 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[19][20] and the Tunisian Revolution of 2011 are both called "Jasmine revolutions" in reference to the flower.

"Jasmine" is a common female given name.

National flower

Several countries and states consider jasmines as a national symbol. They are the following:

  • Hawaii: Jasminum sambac ("pikake") is perhaps the most popular of flowers. It is often strung in leis and is the subject of many songs.
  • Indonesia: Jasminum sambac is the national flower, adopted in 1990. It goes by the name "melati putih" and is the most important flower 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.
  • Syria: The Syrian city Damascus is also called City of Jasmine and uses it as a symbol.
  • Thailand: Jasmine flowers are used as a symbol of motherhood.

Other plants called "jasmine"

References

  1. ↑ "Jasminum". Index Nominum Genericorum. International Association for Plant Taxonomy. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
  2. ↑ "10. Jasminum Linnaeus". Chinese Plant Names. 15: 307. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
  3. ↑ UniProt. "Jasminum". Retrieved 2008-06-03.
  4. 1 2 USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. "Jasminum L." Germplasm Resources Information Network, National Germplasm Resources Laboratory. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
  5. ↑ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607.
  6. 1 2 3 A.K. Singh (2006). Flower Crops: Cultivation and Management. New India Publishing. pp. 193–205. ISBN 978-81-89422-35-6.
  7. ↑ Ernst Schmidt; Mervyn Lötter; Warren McCleland (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park. Jacana Media. p. 530. ISBN 978-1-919777-30-6.
  8. ↑ Jasminum @ EFloras.org.
  9. ↑ H. Panda (2005). Cultivation and Utilization of Aromatic Plants. National Institute Of Industrial Research. p. 220. ISBN 978-81-7833-027-3.
  10. ↑ "Jasminum fluminense". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA.
  11. ↑ "Jasminum dichotomum". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA.
  12. ↑ "Weeds of the Blue Mountains Bushland – Jasminum polyanthum". Archived from the original on 2014-02-04.
  13. ↑ "jasmine, -in, jessamine, -in", OED
  14. ↑ "jasmine." Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster, 2002.
  15. ↑ Metcalf, 1999, p. 123.
  16. ↑ GRIN. "Jasminum information from NPGS/GRIN". Taxonomy for Plants. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  17. ↑ Demole E; Lederer, E.; Mercier, D. (1962). "Isolement et détermination de la structure du jasmonate de méthyle, constituant odorant caractéristique de l'essence de jasmin". Helv Chim Acta. 45 (2): 675–85. doi:10.1002/hlca.19620450233.
  18. ↑ Sharma, M; Laxmi, A (2016). "Jasmonates: Emerging Players in Controlling Temperature Stress Tolerance". Frontiers in Plant Science. 6: 1129. doi:10.3389/fpls.2015.01129. PMC 4701901. PMID 26779205.
  19. ↑ Michael, Ayari; Vincent Geisser (2011). "Tunisie : la Révolution des "Nouzouh"* n'a pas l'odeur du jasmin" (in French). Témoignage chrétien. Archived from the original on 2011-03-14. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
  20. ↑ "La révolution par le feu et par un clic" (in French). Le Quotidien d'Oran/moofid.com. 2011-02-25. Archived from the original on 2011-03-14. Retrieved 2011-03-14.

Further reading

  • "Jasminum Linn". Flora of Pakistan: 12. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
  • Metcalf, Allan A. (1999). The World in So Many Words. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-95920-9.
  • "Flora Europaea Search Results". Flora Europaea. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
  • "African Plants Database". South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and Tela Botanica.
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