Ixora is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is the only genus in the tribe Ixoreae. It consists of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs and holds around 544 species. Though native to the tropical and subtropical areas throughout the world, its centre of diversity is in Tropical Asia. Ixora also grows commonly in subtropical climates in the United States, such as Florida where it is commonly known as West Indian jasmine.

Name

Ixora is Latinized from Sanskrit Ishwara, one of the names of the Hindu god Shiva. The genus was formally created by Linnaeus in 1753, as it was noted by Hendrik van Rheede that the flowers of what he noted as schetti (and named by Rheede as Ixora coccinea) were offered in temples in the Malabar. Other common names include viruchi, kiskaara, kepale, rangan, kheme, ponna, chann tanea, techi, pan, siantan, jarum-jarum/jejarum, cây trang thái, jungle flame, jungle geranium, and cruz de Malta, among others.

Botany

The plants possess leathery leaves, ranging from 3 to 6 inches in length, and produce large clusters of tiny flowers in the summer. Members of Ixora prefer acidic soil, and are suitable choices for bonsai. It is also a popular choice for hedges in parts of South East Asia. In tropical climates, they flower year round and are commonly used in Hindu worship, as well as in ayurveda and Indian folk medicine. In Brazil, fungal species Pseudocercospora ixoricola was found to be causing leaf spots on Ixora coccinea. Then in 2018, in Taiwan, during a fungal study, it was found that the species Pseudopestalotiopsis ixorae and Pseudopestalotiopsis taiwanensis caused leaf spots on species of Ixora, which is a popular garden plant in Taiwan.

Selected species

Gallery