''Tabernaemontana divaricata'', commonly called pinwheel flower, crape jasmine, East India rosebay, and Nero's crown, is an

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

shrub or small tree native to South Asia, Southeast Asia and China. In zones where it is not hardy it is grown as a house/glasshouse plant for its attractive flowers and foliage. The stem exudes a milky latex when broken, whence the name milk flower. Crape jasmine flowers in West Bengal

Description

The plant generally grows to a height of and is dichotomously branched. The large shiny leaves are deep green and about in length and in width. The waxy blossoms are found in small clusters on the stem tips. The (single) flowers have the characteristic 'pinwheel' shape also seen in other genera in the family Apocynaceae such as ''

Vinca ''Vinca'' (; Latin: ''vincire'' "to bind, fetter") is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae, native to Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. The English name periwinkle is shared with the related genus ''Catharanthus'' (an ...

'' and '' Nerium''. Both single and

double-flowered "Double-flowered" describes varieties of flowers with extra petals, often containing flowers within flowers. The double-flowered trait is often noted alongside the scientific name with the abbreviation ''fl. pl.'' (''flore pleno'', a Latin ablat ...

forms are cultivated, the flowers of both forms being white. The plant blooms in spring but flowers appear sporadically all year. The flowers have a pleasing fragrance. More than 66

alkaloid Alkaloids are a class of basic, naturally occurring organic compounds that contain at least one nitrogen atom. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds of similar ...

s are found in the shrub. Its habitats include montane brushwoods and sparse forests. File:Tabernaemontana divaricata by kadavoor.jpg, ''Tabernaemontana divaricata'' 'Flore Pleno' File:Crape jasmine bunch.jpg, Crape jasmine bunch File:Tabernaemontana divaricata at Aanakkulam.jpg, ''Tabernaemontana divaricata'' 'Pinwheel' File:Crepe Jasmine flower yet to blossom.jpg, ''Tabernaemontana divarcata'' yet to blossom File:OHM caterpillar.jpg, Caterpillar of Oleander hawk-moth feeding on pinwheel flower plant File:Flower bud of crape jasmine (Tabernaemontana divaricata).jpg, Flower buds of crape jasmine at night

Phytochemistry

The species is known to produce many alkaloids including catharanthine,

coronaridine Coronaridine, also known as 18-carbomethoxyibogamine, is an alkaloid found in ''Tabernanthe iboga'' and related species, including ''Tabernaemontana divaricata'' for which (under the now obsolete synonym ''Ervatamia coronaria'') it was named. Li ...

, dregamine,

ibogamine Ibogamine is an anti-convulsant, anti-addictive, CNS stimulant alkaloid found in ''Tabernanthe iboga'' and Crepe Jasmine (''Tabernaemontana divaricata''). Basic research related to how addiction affects the brain has used this chemical. Ibogam ...

, tabersonine,

voacangine Voacangine (12-methoxyibogamine-18-carboxylic acid methyl ester) is an alkaloid found predominantly in the root bark of the '' Voacanga africana'' tree, as well as in other plants such as ''Tabernanthe iboga'', '' Tabernaemontana africana'', ''Tra ...

, voacamine and voacristine.

Ibogaine Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive substance found in plants in the family Apocynaceae such as '' Tabernanthe iboga'', '' Voacanga africana'', and '' Tabernaemontana undulata''. It is a psychedelic with dissociative properties. Pre ...

may occur in multiple ''

Tabernaemontana ''Tabernaemontana'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. It has a pan-tropical distribution, found in Asia, Africa, Australia, North America, South America, and a wide assortment of oceanic islands. These plants are evergreen ...

'' species.

Research

There is presence of potent acetylcholinestearase inhibitors in stems and roots of this plant. 3'-R/S-hydroxyvoacamine isolated from a stem extracts act as a non-competitive inhibitor against

AChE Ache or Aches may refer to: Ethnography * Aché, an indigenous people of eastern Paraguay * Aché language, the language of the Aché people * Ache language (China) * Aṣẹ (Cuban spelling: ''aché''), a concept in Orisha belief People * Ach ...

with an IC₅₀ value of 7.00±1.99 μM. Bisindole alkaloid 19,20-dihydrotabernamine and 19,20-Dihydroervahanine A shows higher inhibitory activity on acetylcholinesterase compared with galanthamine.

References

External links

* * {{Taxonbar, from=Q45150 divaricata Flora of the Indian subcontinent Flora of Indo-China Flora of China Garden plants of Asia House plants Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Plants used in Ayurveda

Description

Phytochemistry

Research

See also

References

External links