Dekamali / Cumbi-Gum Tree
Gardenia gummifera
Also known as Dekamella-Gum Gardenia, Gummy Cape Jasmine
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana & more
- Flowering
- December-August
How to identify Dekamali
Identify Dekamali by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a tree habit.
- Confirm leaf surface: Glabrous (smooth, hairless).
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: December-August.
- In India, compare location records such as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat and nearby regions.
- Confirm it sits within the Rubiaceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Dekamali.
Plant Details
Leaf characters
- Leaf surface
- Glabrous (smooth, hairless)recorded
Typical of the family
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Characters marked “recorded” are for Dekamali itself; the rest are typical of the Rubiaceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded
Typical of the family
- Flower symmetry
- Actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
- Fruit
- Berry
Characters marked “recorded” are for Dekamali itself; the rest are typical of the Rubiaceae family — flowering plants only.
Local Names
- Hindi
- देकामाली Dekamali, Dikamali
- Tamil
- Sirukkambil, Dikkamal, Kampilippisin
- Kannada
- ಬಿೞ್ಕೆ Bizhke, ಬಿಳ್ಕೆ Bilke, ಬಿಕ್ಕೆ Bikke, Kattu hingu
- Malayalam
- Kambimaram, ഗന്ധരാജൻ, Gardenia gummifera, Gandharajan
- Marathi
- Dikemali
- Sanskrit
- Nadhingu
About Dekamali
Cumbi-gum Tree (Gardenia gummifera) belongs to the Rubiaceae family, where it grows as a tree. In India it has been recorded in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and 2 other states. It grows in deciduous forests. Flowering and fruiting run from December to August.
Rubiaceae
Coffee/Madder family
Dekamali belongs to the Rubiaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Rubiaceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
If you are starting from symptoms instead of a diagnosis, use the plant disease symptom checker to narrow the cause before treating.
All plant problem & care guides