Common name: Frangipani, Plumeria, Temple tree, {Golenchi गुलैन्ची, Golachin गुलाचिन, Champa चम्पा} (Hindi), Khageleihao angouba (Manipuri), Kathgolop (Bengali), Nela sampangi நெல ஸம்பங்கி (Tamil), Chafa चाफा (Marathi), Champe चाम्पॅ (Konkani)

Botanical name: Plumeria stenophylla, Plumeria stenofilla - [ (ploo-MEER-ee-uh) referring to a plume or feather; (sten-oh-FIL-uh) meaning narrow leaves ] Family: Apocynaceae (dogbane, or oleander family) - [ (a-pos-ih-NAY-see-ay) from the Greek apo (away from or away with) and kuon (dog) ]

Origin: Tropical and subtropical America

Very fragrant and blooms all year round. Dwarf evergreen variety that can be grown as a compact bush or little tree. The leaves are elongated and narrow, so are the white petals that are curled in a pinwheel manner. Stem is not as thick as of other plumerias.

The genus, originally spelled Plumiera, is named in honor of the seventeenth-century French botanist Charles Plumier, who traveled to the New World documenting many plant and animal species. The common name "Frangipani" comes from a sixteenth-century Italian noble family, a marquess of which invented a plumeria-scented perfume. Depending on location, however, many other common names exist: "Kembang Kamboja" in Indonesia, "Temple Tree" or "Champa" in India, "Kalachuchi" in the Philippines, "Araliya" in Sri Lanka, "Champa" in Laos, and "Dead man's fingers" in Australia, for example. The Australian name is perhaps taken from its thin, leafless, finger-like branches. Many English speakers also simply use the generic name "plumeria".

- Flowers of India - Top Tropicals - Dave's Garden - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia