Remy'S Gardenia

Description

Gardenia remyi, the nānū or Remy's gardenia, is a species of flowering tree in the madder family, Rubiaceae. It is endemic to Hawaiʻi. It inhabits coastal mesic, mixed mesic, and wet forests at elevations of 60–760 m (200–2,490 ft) on Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi, Maui, and the Big Island. It is threatened by habitat loss. Gardenias are evergreen shrubs and small trees growing to 1–15 metres (3.3–49.2 ft) tall. The leaves are opposite or in whorls of three or four, 5–50 centimetres (2.0–19.7 in) long and 3–25 centimetres (1.2–9.8 in) broad, dark green and glossy with a leathery texture. The flowers are solitary or in small clusters, white, or pale yellow, with a tubular-based corolla (botany) with 5–12 lobes (petals) from 5 to 12 centimetres (2.0 to 4.7 in) diameter. Flowering is from about mid-spring to mid-summer, and many species are strongly scented.