Italian jasmine or Yellow Jasmine scientifically known as Jasminum humile is a much-branched shrub commonly found in the Himalayan region. It is a species of flowering plant in the Oleaceae family and is native to Afghanistan, Assam, China North-Central, China South-Central, East Himalaya, Greece, Iran, Italy, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sicilia, Tadzhikistan, Tibet, West Himalaya and Yugoslavia. The species is extensively cultivated and supposedly naturalized in Greece, Sicily and the former Yugoslavia. Some of the popular common names of the plant include Italian jasmine, Italian yellow jasmine, yellow Jasmine and Nepal jasmine. The Latin specific epithet humile means “low-growing”.
Plant Description
Yellow jasmine is a small erect much-branched, evergreen to semi-evergreen shrub that normally grows about 2.5–4 m (8–13 ft.) tall and 3 m (10 ft.) wide. The plant is found growing in scrub, dry valleys, in the Himalayas, open forest and margins, coastline, shrub lands, limestone hills, and barren sites. It is a roundish semi-evergreen shrub with thick stems. It has green, angular branches. Leaves are alternate, very variable in size about 2-10 cm long and sometimes revolute. Leaflets 3-7, coriaceous, dark green above, paler beneath, variable in shape, elliptic, ovate, or lanceolate, acute or obtuse, terminal sometimes larger than lateral.
Yellow Jasmine Facts
| Name | Yellow jasmine |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Jasminum humile |
| Native | Afghanistan, Assam, China North-Central, China South-Central, East Himalaya, Greece, Iran, Italy, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sicilia, Tadzhikistan, Tibet, West Himalaya, Yugoslavia |
| Common Names | Italian jasmine, Italian yellow jasmine, yellow Jasmine, Nepal jasmine |
| Name in Other Languages | Arabic: Geelbosjasmyn, yasimin ‘asfar (ياسمين أصفر) Azerbaijani: Аlçаqboy jаsmin Bengali: Svarnajui , Sbarṇacāmēlī (স্বর্ণচামেলী) Chinese: Ai tan chun (矮探春) English: Italian jasmine, Italian yellow jasmine, yellow Jasmine, Nepal jasmine French: Jasmin jaune German: Niedriger Jasmin Hindi: Peeli Chameli (पीली चमेली), Son Chameli, Nepal jasmine, Peela jui , Malto Hungarian: Alacsony jázmin Kannada: Hasarumallige Kumaon: Sonajahi Malayalam: Ponmallika, jāsmīnaṁ humail (ജാസ്മീനം ഹുമൈൽ) Nepali: Masino Jaai (मसिनो जाईफूल), Jaaee (जाई) Persian: یاسمن پاکوتاه Portuguese: Jasmim Sanskrit: Svarnajuthica, Hemapushpika Spanish: Jazmín de Italia Tamil: Semmallingai Telugu: Pachche adavimalle |
| Plant Growth Habit | Small erect much-branched, evergreen to semi-evergreen shrub |
| Growing Climates | Scrub, dry valleys, in the Himalayas, open forest and margins, coastline, shrub lands, limestone hills, and barren sites |
| Plant Size | About 2.5–4 m (8–13 ft.) tall by 3 m (10 ft.) wide |
| Leaf | Alternate, very variable in size, 2-10 cm long, sometimes revolute; leaflets 3-5(-7), coriaceous, dark green above, paler beneath, variable in shape, elliptic, ovate, or lanceolate, acute or obtuse, terminal sometimes larger than lateral |
| Flowering season | March, April, May, June, July |
| Flower | Terminal corymbose cymes; pedicels 5-15 mm long. Bracts linear, minute. Calyx tube c. 3 mm long, teeth very short. Corolla yellow, tube 1-2.5 cm long, lobes 5, broadly ovate-obtuse or round, reflexed when the flower is open. |
| Fruit Shape & Size | Berry simple or didymous, globular-ellipsoid, 4-6 mm long, black when ripe, full of crimson juice |
| Fruit Color | Green when young turning to black as they mature |
| Propagation | Semi-ripe cuttings |
| Plant parts used | Flower, Leaf, Oil, Root |
| Taste | Bitter |
| Season | September-December |
| Culinary uses |
|
Yellow Jasmine Scientific Classification
Scientific Name: Jasminum humile
| Rank | Scientific Name & (Common Name) |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae (Plants) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta (Vascular plants) |
| Infrakingdom | Streptophyta (land plants) |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Lamiales |
| Family | Oleaceae |
| Genus | Chrysojasminum E.A Banfi |
| Species | Chrysojasminum humile (L) Banfi |
| Synonyms |
|
Flower & Fruit
Inflorescences are lax clusters of yellow tubular flowers at the end of branches. Flowers have a slender tube, 1-2 cm long, with 5 rounded spreading petals, about 6 mm. Sepal tube is cup shaped, only 3 mm in size, with tiny triangular sepals. Flowering normally takes place from March to July. Fertile flowers are followed by black colored berries about 8 mm in size, with crimson juice.
Traditional uses and benefits of Yellow Jasmine
- The juice of the root is used to treat skin diseases such as ringworm.
- Milky juice from the whole plant is given to destroy the unhealthy lining walls of chronic fistulas and sinuses in India.
- Flower is used as an astringent and tonic for bowels and heart.
- Paste made from the flowers is considered effective in the treatment of intestinal problems.
- Yellow dye from roots used for ring worms.
Other facts
- Flowers yield essential oil used in perfumery.
- It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.
Precautions
- The plant is considered highly toxic.
- Touching the flowers may produce allergic reaction.
- Excessive doses may cause respiratory depression, giddiness, double vision, death.
References
