NYCTANTHES

Nyctanthes L., Sp. Pl. 6. 1753; Gen. Pl. 5: 7. 1754; Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit.India 3: 603. 1882; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1: 318. 1918 (Reprint 1973); Fl. China @ eFloras.org 15: 318; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 6.

Trees, small. Leaves opposite, simple, ovate, acuminate, entire. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous, in small, sessile, bracteate heads arranged in trichotomous cymes. Calyx ovoid-cylindrical, subtruncate. Corolla salver-shaped, lobes 4-8. Stamens 2, anthers subsessile. Carpels 2, syncarpous; ovary 2-locular; style cylindrical, very shortly bifid. Capsule orbicular, compressed, parallel to the partition.

2 species

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis

Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L., Sp. Pl. 6. 1753; Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 3: 603. 1882; Parker, For. Fl. Punj. ed. 1: 318. 1918 (Reprint 1973); ed. 3: 318. 1956; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 6.

Small deciduous tree, up to 10 m tall, bark grey or greenish-white; branches quadrangular, scaberulous or roughly pubescent. Leaves opposite, simple, coriaceous, 5-15 cm x 2.5-8.5 cm, ovate, apex acute or acuminate, base truncate, rounded or cuneate, margin entire or with a few coarse teeth, very rough and scabrid above, roughly pubescent beneath; petiole 0.5-1 cm long, stout, channelled above, pubescent. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous, ca. 2 cm across, white with an orange red coloured tube, very fragrant, in pedunculate bracteate fascicle of 3-5(-7); peduncles quadrangular, hairy, up to 10 cm in length, solitary and axillary or in axillary and terminal trichotomous cymes; bracts ca. 6 mm x 6 mm, ovate, acute, hairy on both sides. Calyx ca. 6 mm long, tubular-campanulate, with 5-7 minute teeth or teeth obsolete, densely pubescent outside and less hairy inside, ultimately splitting and falling off. Corolla salver-shaped, glabrous, 7-12 mm long; tube 5-6 mm long, orange-red coloured, pilose at base; lobes 5-8, white, ca. 7 mm x 6 mm, asymmetric, obcordate, contorted, patent, overlapping to the left in bud. Stamens 2, included or slightly exserted, inserted at the top of corolla tube, anthers subsessile, ca. 1.5 mm x 1 mm, oblong. Carpels 2, syncarpous; ovary ca. 1.5 mm long, ovate or conical, bilocular, one ovule per loculus, ascending; style ca. 5.5 mm long; stigma shortly bifid. Capsule ca. 1.8-2 cm x 1.8-2 cm, orbicular, strongly compressed parallel to septum, reticulate, splitting when ripe into two 1-seeded cells. Seeds obovate, flat, dull- brown.

Flowering and Fruiting: September to November, sproradically throughout the year
Common Names: Night-flowering Jasmine, Night Jasmine, Queen of the Night, Tree of Sorrow, Coral Jasmine; Parijat, Har-Shingar, Shefali (Hindi)