Gardenia

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Gardenia is a genus of flowering plants in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Madagascar, Pacific Islands,<ref name=FOC>Template:Efloras</ref> and Australia.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus and John Ellis after Alexander Garden (1730–1791), a Scottish naturalist.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The type species is Gardenia jasminoides, as first published by Ellis in 1761.<ref>Ellis J. Gardenia; in Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. 51(2): 935, t. 23 (1761) nom. conserv.</ref>

Description

Gardenia species typically grow as shrubs or small trees, however some species, such as those native to New Guinea, may grow to 20-30m tall.<ref name="FOC" /><ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":3">Template:Cite journal</ref> A small number of species found in tropical East Africa and southern Africa grow as small pyrophytic subshrubs.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" /> At least one species, Gardenia epiphytica, native to Gabon and Cameroon, grows as an epiphyte.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite iucn</ref> Most species are unarmed and spineless, but some species such as some of those found in Africa are spinescent.<ref name="FOC" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

The leaf arrangement is typically opposite or verticillate may (arranged in whorls). Leaves vary by species; many species are glossy with a distinctly coriaceous (or leathery) texture such as that seen in Gardenia jasminoides, whilst in others, leaves may be thin and chartaceous (or paper-like).<ref name="FOC" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

The flowers, particularly in the species most commonly grown in gardens, may be large and showy and white, cream or pale yellow in color, with a pleasant and strong, sometimes overpowering scent that may be more noticeable at night, something quite typical of moth-pollinated plants.<ref name=":3" /><ref>Template:Cite POWO</ref>

Gardenia flowers are hermaphrodite (or bisexual) with each individual flower having both male and female structures (that is, having both stamens and carpels).<ref name="FOC" /> The arrangement of the flowers on the plant are solitary or in small terminal clusters or fascicles. The flowers vary across species, but most commonly have a funnel- or cylindrical-shaped corolla tube, normally elongated and narrow distally, surrounded by 5-12 or more lobes (petals) contorted or arranged in an overlapping pattern.<ref name="FOC" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

Phytochemistry

Crocetin is a chemical compound usually obtained from Crocus sativus, which can also be obtained from the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides.Template:R Gordonin is a novel methoxylated flavonol secreted in golden-colored resinous droplets of Gardenia gordonii,Template:Citation needed which is one of several critically endangered species of the Fiji Islands.

Many of the native gardenias of the Pacific Islands and elsewhere in the paleotropics contribute towards the production of a diverse array of natural products. Methoxylated and oxygenated flavonols, flavones, and triterpenes accumulate on the vegetative and floral buds as yellow to brown droplets of secreted resins. Many focused phytochemical studies of these bud exudates have been published, including a population-level study of two rare, sympatric species of Fiji, G. candida and G. grievei.Template:R The evolutionary significance of the gums and resins of gardenias in attracting or repelling invertebrate herbivores, has yet to be explored by ecologists.Template:Citation needed

Species

Template:As of Plants of the World Online recognises 128 species in this genus, as follows:Template:R Template:Div col

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Cultivation and uses

Gardenia plants are prized for the strong sweet scent of their flowers, which can be very large in size in some species.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Gardenia jasminoides (syn. G. grandiflora, G. florida) is cultivated as a house plant. This species can be difficult to grow because it originated in warm humid tropical areas. It demands high humidity to thrive, and bright (but not direct) light. It flourishes in acidic soils with good drainage and thrives on temperatures of Template:Convert<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> during the day and Template:Convert in the evening. Potting soils developed especially for gardenias are available. G. jasminoides grows no larger than 18 inches in height and width when grown indoors. In climates where it can be grown outdoors, it can attain a height of 6 feet. If water touches the flowers, they will turn brown.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In Eastern Asia, Gardenia jasminoides is called Template:Transliteration (Template:Lang) in China, Template:Transliteration (Template:Lang) in Korea, and Template:Transliteration (Template:Lang) in Japan. Its fruit is used as a yellow dye,<ref>Template:Citation</ref> used on fabric and food (including the Korean mung bean jelly called hwangpomuk). Its fruits are also used in traditional Chinese medicine for their clearing, calming, and cooling properties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In France, gardenias are the flower traditionally worn by men as boutonnière when in evening dress. In The Age of Innocence, Edith Wharton suggests it was customary for upper-class men from New York City to wear a gardenia in their buttonhole during the Gilded Age.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Sigmund Freud remarked to the poet H.D. that gardenias were his favorite flower.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In tiki culture, Donn Beach, aka Don the Beachcomber, frequently wore a fresh lei of gardenias almost every day at his tiki bars, allegedly spending $7,800 for flowers over the course of four years in 1938.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He named one of his drinks the mystery gardenia cocktail. Trader Vic frequently used the gardenia as a flower garnish in his tiki drinks, such as in the scorpion and outrigger tiara cocktails.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Several species occur in Hawaii, where gardenias are known as naTemplate:Okinau or nānū.Template:Cn

Hattie McDaniel famously wore gardenias in her hair when she accepted an Academy Award, the first for an African American, for Gone with the Wind. Mo'Nique Hicks later wore gardenias in her hair when she won her Oscar, as a tribute to McDaniel.Template:Cn

References

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