Family: Oleaceae (Olive Family)
Native range:  Mauritius, the Seychelles, Arabia, Ethiopia, southern Zimbabwe, Malawi (Nyasaland), Portuguese East Africa, Angola, Nigeria, and South Africa. The type locality is Santa Cruz, near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where it was introduced by Portuguese settlers (hence the common name "Brazilian jasmine").
Description: A woody, climbing or scrambling, vine-like shrub with softly pubescent to nearly glabrous new branches. The compound leaves are opposite and divided into three leaflets, each about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long and 3/4 to 1 inch wide. Flower clusters are terminal or lateral, loosely branched, and ranging anywhere from 3 to over 100 flowers per cluster (usually 6 to 12). Individual flowers are about 5/8 to 3/4 inch wide, white, and very fragrant, especially at night. Fleshy, 1/4 inch diameter fruit are dark purple or black and produced in clusters.
Ecological threat: Brazilian jasmine readily and aggressively invades intact, undisturbed hardwood forests where it may climb high into the upper canopy. Brazilian jasmine is capable of completely enshrouding trees and shrubs, cutting off natural light levels and smothering native vegetation. It is an everblooming weedy vine that seeds itself in great profusion wherever it grows. Fruit are eaten by birds and mammals, especially raccoons.
Distribution in Florida: Principally southern Florida but sporadic in central Florida. It is a serious pest in Miami-Dade county.
Background: Brazilian jasmine was introduced by David Fairchild and others into Florida as an ornamental flowering vine, principally for its attractive, intensely fragrant flowers. It was twice introduced into Florida (1916 and 1931) under the erroneous name Jasminum azoricum, and given the common name Azores jasmine until it was properly identified in 1962 by Robert Read of Fairchild Tropical Garden.
|
