Murraya paniculata

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Murraya paniculata

Line drawing of Murraya paniculata, showing flowers and fruit

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Murraya
Species:	M. paniculata

Binomial name

Murraya paniculata
(L.) Jack

Murraya paniculata, commonly called Orange Jessamine, Chinese box, Mock orange, Mock lime, Satinwood^[1] and Nguyệt quế in Vietnamese language is a tropical, evergreen plant bearing small, white, scented flowers, which is grown as an ornamental tree or hedge.

Taxonomical synonyms for M. paniculata are:

Chalcas exotica (L.) Millsp
Chalcas paniculata L. (basionym)
Murraya exotica L.

1 Description
2 Range
3 Uses
4 Propagation
5 Diseases
6 Notes and references

[edit] Description

M. paniculata in flower pots

Fruit of the Chinese box

Orange Jessamine is a small, tropical, evergreen tree or shrub growing up to 7 m tall. Its leaves are glabrous and glossy, occurring in 3-7 oddly pinnate leaflets which are elliptic to cuneate-obovate to rhombic. Flowers are terminal, corymbose, few-flowered, dense and fragrant. Petals are 12-18 mm long, recurved and white (or fading cream). The fruit of Murraya paniculata is fleshy, oblong-ovoid, coloured red to orange,^[2] and grows up to 1 inch in length.^[3]

[edit] Range

M. paniculata is a native of South and Southeast Asia, and is now pantropical, growing in northern Australia, southern China and Taiwan, and southern USA.^[1]

[edit] Uses

M. paniculata is cultured as an ornamental tree or hedge because of its hardiness, wide range of soil tolerance (M. paniculata may grow in alkaline, clayey, sandy, acidic and loamy soils), and is suitable for larger hedges. The plant flowers throughout the years and produces small, fragrant flower clusters which attract bees, while the fruits attract small fructivorous birds.^[3]

[edit] Propagation

The Orange Jessamine is sexually propagated by its seeds. The fruits are eaten by birds, who then pass the seeds out in their stool. It may also be artificially propagated by softwood cuttings.^[3]

[edit] Diseases

M. paniculata is vulnerable to soil nematodes, scales, sooty mold and whiteflies.^[3]

M. paniculata is the preferred host to the insect pest Diaphorina citri, the citrus psyllid. This psyllid is the vector for the citrus greening disease.^[4]