Murraya paniculata

Orange diamond with flowers

The orange diamond ( Murraya paniculata ), sometimes referred to as orange jasmine, is a flowering plant in the family Rutaceae ( Rutaceae ). It dates from the Southeast Asian region and is used in the tropics as an ornamental plant.

Description

The orange diamond is an evergreen shrub or small tree that can reach the stature heights of up to 12 meters, but usually remains significantly smaller ( typically 2 to 3 meters). Older specimens often make several tribes. The alternate, glossy and dark green leaves are pinnate. The usually three to nine also alternate arranged on the Blattrhachis leaflets are ovate to elliptic with smooth or grooved edge with a length of up to 5 cm. When rubbed, the leaves develop a citrus- like odor.

The terminal or pendent inflorescences appear all year round, but usually from April to October. The fragrant flowers are fünfzählig double perianth. The five sepals are ovate to lanceolate, with a length of up to 2 mm. The five white petals are narrow - elliptic to lanceolate - runs at a length of 12 to 18 mm. There are ten stamens present.

The small, dark orange to vermilion colored fruits are narrowly ellipsoid to ovoid, reaching up to 1.4 cm in length. In the bitter-tasting pulp one to two seeds are embedded.

The chromosome number is 2n = 18

Dissemination

The distribution area of ​​Orange diamond ranging from Pakistan to India and southern China to Taiwan, the Philippines, the Ryukyu Islands and the Mariana Islands, south to Malaysia and Indonesia to New Guinea and parts of Australia. In other tropical areas it has become naturalized.

The orange diamond thrives especially in thickets and mountain forests ( in China it rises up to altitudes of 1300 meters). It prefers sunny to slightly shaded locations and tolerates a wide range of acidic to alkaline soils.

Use

Because of their attractive appearance, the Orange lozenge is in many tropical regions as an ornamental plant.

Plant parts (especially leaves and bark ) of the orange diamond find in their home countries various applications in folk medicine, such as an emetic or for fever and inflammation. In animal experiments analgesic effects could be detected by bark extracts.

In Myanmar, is made ​​of finely grated rind of the orange diamond or wood related species Thanaka, a paste used as a natural cosmetic made ​​.

System

Murraya paniculata synonyms for (L. ) Jack are Chalcas paniculata L. ( basionym ), Chalcas exotica and Murraya exotica. Furthermore, Murraya paniculata var a subspecies was described ovatifoliolata.