Tabernaemontana divaricata

• Botanical Name : Tabernaemontana divaricata (L.) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schult.
• Synonyms : Ervatamia divaricata (L) Burkill
• Common Name : Crape Jasmine, Moonbeam, Carnation of India, Chandni, Tagar
• Plant Family : Apocynaceae
• Plant Form : Shrub
• Occurrence (Sectors) : 1-30
• Occurrence (Special Areas) : Gujarat Forestry Research Foundation, Indroda Park, Ayurvedic Udyan, Sarita Udyan, Van Chetana Kendra, Infocity, Aranya Van

About Tabernaemontana divaricata Plant :

• Habit : A small shrub with milky juice.
• Leaves : Opposite, lanceolate or elliptic-oblong, acuminate, cuneate at base, darkgreen.
• Flowers :
  • Snow white, fragrant at night, solitary or few-flowered cymes in axils or terminal, often double. Calyx lobes 5, imbricate, campanulate.
  • Corolla salver-shaped, tube dilated below the top, lobes 5, ovate overlapping to the left.
  • Stamens 5, included in the dilated portion of the tube, filaments short, anthers linear.
  • Disk 0. Carpels 2, distinct, style long, stigma obovoid, ovules many.
• Fruit : Follicles 2, green outside, orange-red within, seeds many.
• Flowering and Fruiting Time : July - September
• Significance :
  • Commonly cultivated everywhere in gardens for its beautiful white flowers and used by malis for garland.
  • The wood is burnt as an incense and used in perfumery.