Gardenia imperialis is a small to medium sized tree within the Rubiaceae family, it is found in swamp savannahs or forests in Tropical Africa.
| Gardenia imperialis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Rubiaceae |
| Genus: | Gardenia |
| Species: | G. imperialis |
| Binomial name | |
| Gardenia imperialis | |
The species grows up to 18 meters tall, trunk is greyish in color.[2] Leaves have a simple, opposite arrangement, and are sometime sticky, they are broadly obovate and large in outline; upper surface is glabrous while abaxial surface is sometimes velvety with ant's nesting cavity around the midrib; its leaf-blade is 15–38 cm long and 10–22 cm wide.[3][4] White fragrant flowers, it has large narrow funnel shaped corolla tubes, the outer surface of the tubes is pinkish while the inner surface is whitish.[5] Fruit is ovoid to ellipsoid in shape and reddish-brown in color.[6]
The species occurs in Senegal in West Africa, eastwards to Uganda and Southwards towards Zimbabwe.[7] Grows on the margins of streams and lakes, in swamp forests and riverine areas.[2]
Test on root bark extracts identified two triterpenoid compounds, 3-epi-β-amyrin and β-amyrin acetate.[8]
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