Plumeria
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Plumeria (common name Frangipani) is a small genus of 7-8 species native to tropical and subtropical America. The genus consist of mainly deciduous shrubs and trees. P. rubra (Common Frangipani, Red Frangipani), native to Central America, Mexico and Venezuela, produces flowers ranging from yellow to pink depending on form or cultivar. The genus is also related to the Oleander, Nerium oleander. Both are known to possess poisonous, milky sap, rather similar to that of Euphorbia.
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, "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".
Each of the separate species bear differently shaped leaves and their form and growth habits are also distinct. The leaves of P. alba are quite narrow and corrugated, unlike any other. Leaves of P. pudica are remarkably unique with their elongated oak shape and glossy, dark green color. Pudica is also one of the rare everblooming types with non-deciduous, evergreen leaves. Another species that is winter green and bloomful is P. obtusa; though its common name is "Singapore", it is originally from Colombia.
Plumeria flowers are most fragrant at night in order to lure sphinx moths to pollinate them. The flowers have no nectar, and simply dupe their pollinators. The flowers are pollinated as the moths inadvertently transfer pollen from flower to flower in their fruitless search for nectar.
Plumerias are easily propagated by taking a cutting of leafless stem tips in spring and allowing them to dry at the base before inserting them into soil. They are also propagated via tissue culture both from cuttings of freshly elongated stems and via aseptically germinated seed.
They are now common naturalised plants in southern and southeastern Asia, and in local folk beliefs provide shelter to ghosts and demons. In Hawaii they are used for making leis. They are associated with temples in both Hindu and Buddhist cultures though Hindus do not use the flowers in their temple offerings.
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