Gardenia turgida - Plant

Mountain Gardenia is a deciduous tree, growing up to 6 to 8 m tall. The bark is thick, soft, yellowish in young branches only. Branches are numerous, stout, straight, terminating. Leaves are opposite decussate, dimorphic, of lower branches ovate, thick-papery, bristly above, hairy below, base narrowed, tip pointed-apiculate.

lateral nerves 8 to 10, nearly stalkless stipules intrapetiolar, fused into a sheath. Flowers are 5 cm across, flat-faced, obovate, overlapping or twisted, thin-fleshy. Fruits are grey, rough or smooth berry. seeds many, embedded in fleshy pulp; testa smooth. Flowers & fruits appear from April to May and November.