Botanical  Name – Trachelospermum jasminoides

Common Name - confederate jasmine , star jasmine , chinese star jasmine , kundo .

Classification

Kingdom –  Plantae

Class –  Magnoliopsida

Order – Gentianales

Family – Apocynaceae

Genus – Trachelospermum 

Species – jasminoides

Characteristics of family Apocynaceae

Herbs, shrubs and trees, often twining, usually with white latex; leaves are alternate, simple, exstipulate, usually opposite or whorled, entire margin with latex; flowers’ hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, hypogynous; calyx free or united; corolla gamopetalous, 5 lobed, campanulate or funnel-shaped, valvate or twisted; androecium epipetalous, introrse; gynoecium bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovary superior, united by the styles only; fruit-follicle or berry; seeds with crown of hairs.

Plant Description

Star jasmine is a comparatively fast-growing, short-lived, vigorous, multi-stemmed medium-sized evergreen twining woody vine that normally can reach 10 meters under optimal growing conditions in warm humid regions; but usually grows about 5 to 7 m tall and 2 m wide. The plant is found growing in sunny edges of forests, shrub lands, disturbed sites, wastelands, along roadsides, trails, gardens, parks, cemeteries, recreational sites in coastal areas, and bush tracks. The plant performs best in humus-rich, well-drained moderately retentive soil. It can also succeed in moderately acid or alkaline soils. Remarkable for its vigor, it develops long twining stems lined with persistent foliage and shiny, leathery, sometimes taking beautiful red hues. Stems are glabrous or pubescent when young, mostly branched and with spotted lenticels on surface, glabrous when older. Stems exude a milky sap when broken.

Status : Exotic (Horticultural / Cultivated Only)

Leaves : The leaves of star jasmine are arranged opposite to each other and the petiole measures anything between 2 – 5 cm in length. The young leaves are thickly covered with greyish-brown fine hairs, which drop as the leaves mature. The leaf blade has an oval or elliptical shape. Sometimes, they are also lanceolate and measure between 2 – 8 cm in length and 1.5 – 4 cm in width. The apex of the leaves is acute or obtuse, while they are rounded or broadly cuneate around the base as well as the entire margin.

Flowers : The inflorescence of star jasmine is axillary and measure about 5 cm in length. The plant bears white, aromatic flowers. The calyx of Trachelospermum jasminoides flowers is small and divided into five parts; the floral tube has a cylindrical shape and measures anything between 3 – 6 mm and is puberulous or minutely pubescent. Each flower has five stamens, two carpels and numerous ovules.

Fruit : The shape of the follicles is cylindrical and measures around 15 cm. The flowers bloom between July to August. The seeds of star jasmine are linear, brown and flat having a bunch of very bright and soft fur.

Medicinal uses

• The leaf is restorative and tonic.

• This plant is especially useful for the aged.

• Flowering stem is analgesic, antibacterial, anti-rheumatic, antispasmodic, depurative, emmenogogue, febrifuge, resolvent, tonic and vasodilator.

• Decoction is used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, sore throats and various boils and abscesses.

• The seed is cardio-tonic and hemostatic.

• Whole plant is cooked with other foods and used to treat rheumatism.

• Stem is used for the treatment of rheumatism and injury.