SafePlants

Fagraea: A Versatile Genus

Fagraea is a genus of plants belonging to the family Gentianaceae. These plants exhibit a variety of growth forms, including trees, shrubs, lianas (woody vines), and epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants).

Considerations for Pets

• Some Fagraea species may be commonly found in parks and gardens.

Considerations for Children

• Some Fagraea species may be commonly found in parks and gardens.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Genus: Fagraea Thunb.
• Family: Gentianaceae
• Major Group: Angiosperms (Flowering plants)
• Phylum/Division: Magnoliophyta
• Class: Eudicots
• Order: Gentianales
• Type Species: F. ceilanica
• Synonyms:
  • Cyrtophyllum giganteum Ridl.
  • Cyrtophyllum peregrinum Reinw.
  • Fagraea cochinchinensis Cheval.
  • Fagraea obovata Wall.
  • Fagraea zeylanica Thunb.
  • Fagraea wallichiana
  • Fagraea cochinchinensis
  • Fagraea sororia
  • Fagraea gigantea
  • Fagraea borneensis

Distribution and Habitat

Fagraea species are found in diverse habitats such as forests and swamps. Fagraea berteroana is indigenous to Northern Australia, the Caroline Islands, and eastward to the Marquesas.

Morphological Characteristics

• Leaves of Fagraea fragrans are simple, elliptical, entire, and sub-coriaceous (somewhat leathery). The midrib is prominent on the lower side of the leaf, and there are 9-12 pairs of veins.
• Fagraea racemosa is a shrub or small to medium-sized tree up to 25-40 meters tall, with a bole up to 30 cm in diameter.
• Fagraea fragrans is a slow-growing evergreen tree, up to more than 35 meters tall, with a trunk exceeding 130 cm in diameter.
• Fagraea gracilipes is a tree with a spreading crown, ranging from 3-25 meters tall, with a straight, cylindrical bole that can be more than 100cm in diameter.
• Some Fagraea species are scandent epiphytes or trees to 15 m tall with stout branchlets.

Specific Species

• Fagraea berteriana (F. berteroana): Commonly known as Pua keni keni or Perfume Flower Tree. It is a small spreading tree.
• Fagraea fragrans: Known as Tembusu.
• Fagraea auriculata The species name refers to the stipule like appendages at the petiole base.

Ecological Role

• Fagraea fragrans is a valuable timber tree of South East Asia.

Quirky Facts

• Fagraea berteroana flowers have a unique color change: the corolla is white on the first day and changes color the next day.

Traditional Uses

The genus Fagraea has ethnobotanical significance, particularly in Pacific islands, where it is used in traditional medicine.

Chemical Composition

• Fagraldehyde, a secoiridoid, has been isolated from Fagraea fragrans.
• Antimycobacterial compounds have been isolated from the stem bark of Fagraea fragrans.

Further Information

• More multimedia resources are available on Wikimedia Commons.
• Technical and marketing information can be found on the Tembesu (Fagraea fragrans) page for lesser-used tropical timber species.
• Information can be found at the USDA Plant Hardiness Map.
• The Catalogue of Life lists Fagraea acuminatissima Merr.