The Beautiful Night Flowering Jasmine

The night flowering jasmine is also known as Parijat or hengra Bubar or Shiuli. It is a species of Nyctanthes that is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is scientifically known as Nyctanthes arbor-tristis. Let’s learn about it in below-mentioned points:

• It is a shrub or a small tree growing to a height of 10 m (33 ft) tall along with flaky grey bark.
• The leaves of it are opposite and simple. They are 6-12 cm long and 2 – 6.5 cm broad with an entire margin.
• The fragrant flowers have 5 to 8 lobed corolla with an orange-red center. These are produced in clusters of 2 to 7 together with individual flowers that open at dusk and finish at dawn.
• The fruit of it is bilobed and is flat brown heart-shaped to the round capsule which is 2 cm in diameter. Its every lobe contains a seed.
• The tree of it is sometimes called the “tree of sorrow” because when you see closely the flowers start to lose their brightness during the daytime.
• The scientific name arbor-tristis is also had its meaning as “sad tree”.
• These flowers can be used widely as a source of yellow dye for clothing.
• The flower is known as Gangaseuli and at some places as Jharaa cephalic in Odisha, India.
• There is a book by the name ‘Borok Tipruri culture’ of Tripura which is associated with the cycle of life (birth and death). Thus, it also used as a garland for the dead.
• The leaves of this flower are used in Ayurvedic medicine and Homoeopathy to cure fevers, sciatica, and arthritis and also used as a laxative.

By: Kiara Sharma

Mahaveer Public School