Jasmine

Jasmine can be either deciduous (leaves falling in autumn) or evergreen (green all year round), and can be erect, spreading, or climbing shrubs and vines. Their leaves are borne in opposing or alternating arrangement and can be of simple, trifoliate, or pinnate formation.

Jasmines are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Eurasia, Africa, Australasia and Oceania, although only one of the 200 species is native to Europe.[8][9][10] Their center of diversity is in South Asia and Southeast Asia.[11]

Several jasmine species have become naturalized in Mediterranean Europe. For example, the so-called Spanish jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum) was originally from West Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Northeast Africa, and East Africa, and is now naturalized in the Iberian peninsula.[7][12]

Jasminum fluminense (which is sometimes known by the inaccurate name "Brazilian Jasmine") and Jasminum dichotomum (Gold Coast Jasmine) are invasive species in Hawaii and Florida.[13][14] Jasminum polyanthum, also known as pink jasmine, is an invasive weed in Australia.[15]

The name comes from Old French jessemin, from Persian: یاسمن‎, romanized: yāsamin[16] which is derived from the Middle Persian word yāsaman and yāsamīn (يَاسَمِين) in Arabic.[17][18] The word entered Middle French around 1570 and was first used in English in 16th century England.[18] The Persian name is also the origin of the genus name, Jasminum.[19]

Species belonging to the genus are classified under the tribe Jasmineae of the olive family (Oleaceae).[7] Jasminum is divided into five sections—Alternifolia, Jasminum, Primulina, Trifoliolata, and Unifoliolata.[20]

Jasmine lends its name to jasmonate plant hormones, as methyl jasmonate isolated from the oil of Jasminum grandiflorum led to the discovery of the molecular structure of jasmonates.[22] Jasmonates occur ubiquitously across the plant kingdom, having key roles in responses to environmental cues, such as heat or cold stress, and participate in the signal transduction pathways of many plants.[23]

Jasmine is cultivated commercially for domestic and industrial uses, such as the perfume industry.[24] It is used in rituals like marriages, religious ceremonies, and festivals.[25] Jasmine flower vendors sell garlands of jasmine, or in the case of the thicker motiyaa (in Hindi) or mograa (in Marathi) varieties, bunches of jasmine are common.[26] They may be found around entrances to temples, on major thoroughfares, and in major business areas.

A change in presidency in Tunisia in 1987[27][28] and the Tunisian Revolution of 2011 are both called "Jasmine revolutions" in reference to the flower.[29]

"Jasmine" is a common female given name.

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  surface of Jasmine tea
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  The White Jasmine Branch, painting of ink and color on silk by Chinese artist Zhao Chang, early 12th century
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  Jasmine used as garland
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  Jasmine flower blooming
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  Jasmine flowers harvest in Reggio Calabria, Italy (1965)

• "Jasminum Linn". Flora of Pakistan: 12. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
• Metcalf, Allan A. (1999). The World in So Many Words. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-95920-9.

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Look up Jasmine or Jasminum in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• "Flora Europaea Search Results". Flora Europaea. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
• "African Plants Database". South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and Tela Botanica.