Gardenia Ternifolia

Scientific Name: Gardenia Ternifolia

Common Name: Wild gardenia (English).

Family: Rubiaceae

Names in other languages: Mutara (Shona) Mutarara (Shona) Mutarura (Shona) Powder-bark gardenia (English) Umvalasangwana (Ndebele)

General Information

Gardenia ternifolia is an evergreen shrub or small tree.Gardenia ternifolia is a flowering plant of the family Rubiaceae from to the tropical to subtropical regions of South Asia, Australasia and Oceania. It is widely used traditionally for the treatment of various disease. Branches originate from a distinct node in 90o to the main stem and grow in almost 60o to one another.

Features of Gardenia Ternifolia that make it identifiable:

The Bark is grayish white, smooth.

The Leaves are in whorls of three, 10-18 cm in length, 7-11 cm in width, margin entire, cuneate at base, rounded at tip, obvoate in shape, midrib grayish white, protruding on both sides, lateral veins slightly alternate; leaf petiole only 2-3 mm long and 3 mm in diameter

The flowers are white or creamy, aging to yellow, about 4 cm in diameter with a tube up to 4-5 cm long and spreading corolla lobes, sweetly scented.

The fruit are in single at the tip of a 4-5 cm long fruit stalk, 3-5 cm

Uses

Tool handles (branch wood), food (fruit), bee forage, tooth brushes.

This study showed that the species is widely used as an aphrodisiac and protective charm, and traditional medicine for headache, migraine, respiratory infections, sore eyes, hypertension, diabetes, gastro-intestinal problems, erectile dysfunction, malaria, convulsions and epileps