Seeds solitary, arillated.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
Jasminum foliis oppositis, ovatis, sæpe apice acutis: floribus in ramis terminalibus, plerumque ternis: corollis aggregatis, vel tribus in una, involutis, fragrantissimis: ramis oppositis, hirsutis, ferrugineis: caule patente, scandente.
Jasmine with leaves opposite, egg-shaped, and often pointed at the end: flowers terminate the branches mostly by threes: blossoms are aggregate, or three in one folded together, and very sweet-scented: branches are opposite, hairy, and of a rusty colour: stem spreading, and climbing.
REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.
1. A blossom separated, the inner tube spread open.
2. The empalement spread open, seed-bud and pointal, summit magnified.
This Jasmine possesses a fragrance of such unequivocal sweetness as renders it, although an old hot-house plant, one of its best acquisitions. We have preferred the variety before the species, for its superior beauty, and the opportunity of displaying the singular construction of its flowers, which separate into three distinct parts; the inner one bearing the stamens perfect in appearance, but upon examination they will be found steril. This, as well as its original, the single-flowering one, is highly esteemed all over India, cultivated, and sold in their markets for the purpose of distilling from them a perfumed water, like that extracted from the rose. The Indian women macerate the flowers with those of Michelia champacca; the Uvaria odoratissima, and the common Jasmine, in oil of aloes or oil of benzoin, and then expose it to the sun for three days, adding fresh flowers every day. It is then used by the youth of both sexes to anoint their hair with, which they consider as their greatest ornament. In the spring, garlands and crowns are made of the plants, and used by the Hindoos in their sacrifices or religious rites. Both the single and this variety are figured in Van Rheede’s Hortus Malabaricus, and also by Rumphius in his Herbarium Amboynense, who describes the flowers as opening in India at sun-set, continuing all night, and the following, when they fall off: that the succession is abundant, thriving well on a trellis, like common Jasmine, and having a charming appearance when impearled with the dew of the morning.
Our figure was made from a plant in the hot-house of J. Vere, esq.[Pg 11]
[Pg 12]