Common name: Malabar Jasmine, Wild jasmine • Marathi: कुसर kusar, रान मोगरा ran mogra • Tamil: கொடிவகை kotivakai • Kannada: Kadu mallige • Sanskrit: मुद्गर mudgara
Botanical name: Jasminum malabaricum Family: Oleaceae (Jasmine family)
Malabar Jasmine is a beautiful jasmine native to south India. It is a large climber, growing up
to 3-5 m. Woody stems are 4 cm thick. Slender branches are spreading and
trailing. Oppositely arranged membranous leaves are 8-12 cm long, and broadly
ovate, with a sharp tip. The base of the leaf is either rounded or
heart-shaped, and the stalk is 1-3 cm long. Fragrant white flowers appear in
branched cymes at the end of branches, upto 50 in a single cyme. Petals are
6-10, 2 cm long, lance-like and spreading. The narrow tube below the petals is
2 cm long. It is found planted near many temples, and is used in worship.
This one is very rare in northern parts of India.
Identification credit: Dinesh Valke
| Photographed in Maharashtra. |
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