Pinwheel Flower

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Adam's-apple
• Ceylon-jessamine
• East Indian rose bay
• broadleaf rose bay
• butterfly-gardenia
• crape-gardenia
• crape-jasmine
• crepe-jessamine
• flowers-of-love
• pinwheel-flower
• Common Tabernaemontana
• Crepe Jasmine
• Pinwheel Jasmine
• indian carnation

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ervatamia coronaria
• Ervatamia recurva
• Ervatamia siamensis
• Testudipes recurva
• Tabernaemontana lurida
• Kopsia cochinchinensis
• Reichardia grandiflora
• Ervatamia divaricata var. plena
• Taberna discolor
• Reichardia jasminoides
• Jasminum zeylanicum
• Nyctanthes acuminata
• Tabernaemontana discolor
• Tabernaemontana flabelliformis
• Tabernaemontana gratissima
• Tabernaemontana coronaria
• Tabernaemontana coronaria var. plena
• Tabernaemontana recurva
• Tabernaemontana siamensis
• Ervatamia flabelliformis
• Ervatamia divaricata
• Nerium coronarium

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae in the order Gentianales and the family Apocynaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Tabernaemontana.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several key tropical and subtropical regions. In West-Central Tropical Africa, it can be found specifically around the Gulf of Guinea Islands. Its presence extends to the Arabian Peninsula, where it is located within the Gulf States. Within China, the species is widely distributed across the South-Central, Southeast, and Hainan regions. These varied locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in different warm environments across Asia and Africa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Tabernaemontana divaricata is characterized by its ability to thrive across a broad altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 1400 m AMSL. This wide elevational range suggests a high degree of adaptability to various environmental conditions and climatic zones. Typically found in tropical and subtropical regions, the species flourishes in moist, well-drained soils and often occupies habitats such as forest edges, thickets, and disturbed areas where light availability is moderate to high. Its distribution across these varying altitudes allows it to interface with diverse ecological communities, making it a resilient component of its native and naturalized landscapes.

Elevational range max:

1400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Life history

The life history of Tabernaemontana divaricata is characterized by its long-term survival as a perennial plant, allowing it to maintain its presence in its ecosystem over many growing seasons. As a phanerophyte, it typically grows as a woody shrub or small tree with its stems held well above the ground, though it can also be categorized under the nanophanerophyte life form depending on its specific stature and growth habit in varying environments. The plant maintains a consistent foliage profile as an evergreen species, ensuring that it retains its leaves throughout the year rather than undergoing a seasonal shedding period.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

nanophanerophyte

Life form :

phanerophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Tabernaemontana divaricata is characterized by a woody growth form, typically manifesting as a self-supporting shrub. It is a terrestrial plant that functions independently, neither acting as a parasite nor as an epiphyte. In terms of stature, the plant reaches a mean height of approximately 3 m, with a maximum height recorded up to 2 m, though it maintains a stable, self-supporting structure rather than behaving as a climber, liana, or vine.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

3 m

Woodiness :

woody

Physiology

The physiology of Tabernaemontana divaricata is characterized by its efficient metabolic processes and specialized secondary metabolite production, which contribute to its survival in tropical environments. As a perennial shrub, its physiological framework supports robust vegetative growth through photosynthesis and a sophisticated chemical defense mechanism involving the synthesis of indole alkaloids. Regarding its nutrient acquisition strategies, the plant does not possess the symbiotic relationship with rhizobia or other diazotrophs required for biological nitrogen fixation; therefore, it is classified as a non-nitrogen fixer (trait_1: Nitrogen fixer; trait_value: no). Instead, it relies on the uptake of nitrates and ammonium from the soil through its root system to sustain its nitrogen requirements for protein synthesis and enzymatic functions. Its physiological resilience is further enhanced by its ability to manage water stress and maintain cellular homeostasis through regulated transpiration and osmotic adjustments.

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Tabernaemontana divaricata has 4 reported plant parts identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, flower, stem, root.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz
3. Pharmacognosy magazine
4. Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research
5. Natural products and bioprospecting

Flower

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. Pharmacognosy magazine

Stem

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Pharmacognosy magazine
3. Natural product research

Root

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Chemicals

Tabernaemontana divaricata has 12 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 19,20-Dihydroervahanine A, 19,20-didehydro-6alpha-hydroxyervatamine, 19,20-dihydrotabernamine, Catharanthine, Conodurine.

19,20-Dihydroervahanine A

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

19,20-didehydro-6alpha-hydroxyervatamine

1. Journal of natural products

19,20-dihydrotabernamine

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Catharanthine

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Conodurine

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

Jerantinine A

1. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine

TFC

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

TPC

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Tabernaelegantine A

1. The Journal of pharmacy and pharmacology

VOACAMINE

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Activities

Tabernaemontana divaricata has 5 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Nootropic, Sedative.

Analgesic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research

Antibacterial

1. Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research

Antidiabetic

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Nootropic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Sedative

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Tabernaemontana divaricata has 12 reported investigations on conditions identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include analgesic, Antidiabetic, cough, dementia, diabetes mellitus.

Analgesic

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Indian journal of dental research : official publication of Indian Society for Dental Research

Antidiabetic

1. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM

Cough

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Dementia

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Diabetes mellitus

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Infections

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Injuries

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Memory

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Nociception

1. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Pain

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Preparations

Tabernaemontana divaricata has 15 reported preparations identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include 'Amrita Oil', 'Amrita-Prâsa clarified butter', Ethanolic extracts of flowers, Ethanolic extracts of leaves, Ethanolic extracts of roots.

'amrita oil'

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

'amrita-prâsa clarified butter'

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extracts of flowers

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extracts of leaves

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extracts of roots

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Ethanolic extracts of stems

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Voacamine

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Alcoholic extract

1. Natural product research

Chloroformic extract

1. Pharmacognosy magazine

Cough syrup

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology