Jasminum Malabaricum – Malabar Jasmine – Ajaytao

Jasminum Malabaricum – Malabar Jasmine – Ajaytao

Common name: Malabar Jasmine, Wild jasmine

Marathi: Kusar, Ran mogra
Sanskrit: Mudgara
Sinhala: Pichcha

Botanical name: Jasminum malabaricum

Family: Oleaceae (Jasmine family)
Tribe: Jasmineae
Genus: Jasminum
Species: J. malabaricum

Jasminum malabaricum (malabar jasmine, wild jasmine) is a species of flowering plant in the family Oleaceae, native to southern parts of India, and Sri Lanka, In India it is found in the Western Ghats, State – Kerala, District/s: Wayanad, Kasaragode, Kannur, Palakkad, Kozhikkode

It is a large climber, growing up to 3-5 m. Woody stems are 4 cm thick. Slender branches are spreading and trailing. Scandent shrubs. Leaves simple, oppositely arranged membranous leaves 8-10 x 6-7.2 cm, ovate, apex abruptly shortly acuminate, base truncate or subcordate; The base of the leaf is either rounded or heart-shaped, lateral nerves 8-9 pairs slender; petiole 1 cm long, jointed above the base.

Jasminum Malabaricum – Fruit – Ajaytao

 

Fragrant white flowers appear in many flowered lax trichotomously brached terminal cymes; the flowers appear in branched cymes at the end of branches, up to 50 in a single cyme, bracts 6-8 mmm long, linear subulate; pedicels 6-8 mm long. Calyx 1.2 cm long, lobes 5-7, subulate, pubescent. Petals are 6-10, 2 cm long, lance-like and spreading. Corolla white, tube 2 cm long, lobes 6-10, oblong or lanceolate, acute, 2 cm long. Fruit 1-1.2 x 0.8-1 cm, ovoid, drying black, single or paired.

It is found planted near many temples, and is used in worship. This one is very rare in northern parts of India.

Medicinal use

Jasminum malabaricum can also be used for the treatment of Cataract, as a blood purifier and in cosmetic and detergent industries. It is known for its ethno medicinal importance like antibacterial, antioxidant, blood purifier, anti-tumor properties. The extensive exploitation of this species has led to reduction of its natural population. Owing to its attributes callus culture studies was carried out using Murashige and Skoog medium with different combinations and concentrations of BAP, NAA and 2,4D. The leaves and stem segments were used as explants for callus growth and leaves responded significantly to produce callus. The total phenolics present in the callus culture were estimated.

Ajaytao Photography