nandivriksha :
Morphology:
The Tabernaemontana divaricata (L.) R.Br. ex Roem. & Schult. (1819) is a shrub or small evergreen tree, up to about 4 m tall, with dichotomous ramifications and milky sap. The leaves, on a 0,4-1 cm long petiole, are opposite, simple, oblong-lanceolate with long pointed apex and entire margin slightly waved, 7-15 cm long and 2-4 cm broad, of intense green colour and glossy above, opaque below and prominent veins. The inflorescences, at the axil of the upper bifurcations of the branches, are cymes carrying 2-10 flowers of 3-5 cm of diameter that smell at night. Calyx with ovate sepals, hypocraterimorphous corolla (with lobes spread perpendicularly to a long and thin tube) with greenish tube 1,5-2,5 cm long, oblong-ovate lobes, 1,5-2,5 cm long and about 1 cm broad, of white colour with yellow centre, waxy. The fruits are oblong follicles in couple with a pointed curved extension, of 4-7 cm of length and of 0,8-1,5 cm of diameter, containing several seeds covered by red aril.
Histology:
The transverse section of the stem shows the presence of undifferentiated cells known as the cortex in the outer region. They are followed by an extended part of the cortex, which consists of 7-8 layers of Phellogen, followed by 6-7 layers of Phelloderm.
