Gardenia is a genus of 142 species[2] of flowering plants in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and Oceania.
The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus after Dr. Alexander Garden (1730-1791), a Scottish-born American naturalist.
Gardenia anapetes Smith
Gardenia brighamii H.Mann - Nānū (Hawaiʻi)
Gardenia buffalina (Lour.) Poir. in J.B.A.M.de Lamarck (= Genipa buffalina)
Gardenia carinata India, Malaya.
Gardenia cornuta (Natal Gardenia). South Africa.
Gardenia flava (Lour.) Poir. in J.B.A.M.de Lamarck (= Genipa flava)
Gardenia fortunei Eastern Asia.
Gardenia gummifera India. Small tree, to 3 m high.
Gardenia imperialis Tropical Africa. Small tree to 12 m.
Gardenia jasminoides (Common Gardenia, Cape Jasmine or Cape Jessamine). Southern China and Japan.
Gardenia latifolia India. Shrub or tree, 5-10 m high.
Gardenia mannii H.St.John & Kuykend. (Hawaiʻi)
Gardenia remyi H.Mann (Hawaiʻi)
Gardenia resinifera Roth (Brilliant Gardenia, Cambi Resin Tree, or dikamali) India. Shrub or small tree, to 3 m high. (= G. lucida, Genipa resinifera)
Gardenia resiniflua (Gummy Gardenia). South Africa.
Gardenia rutenbergiana (Baill. ex Vatke) J.-F.Leroy (= Genipa rutenbergiana)
Gardenia scabrella far north Queensland- used in amenities plantings in Cairns
Gardenia spatulifolia South Africa.
Gardenia taitensis (Tahitian Gardenia, Tiare māori). Polynesia.
Gardenia ternifolia (Large-leaved Transvaal Gardenia). South Africa.
Gardenia ternifolia ssp. jovis-tonantis (Welw.) Verdc. (= G. jovis-tonantis, Genipa jovis-tonantis)
Gardenia thunbergia (White Gardenia, Forest Gardenia, or witkatjiepiering) South Africa. Shrub or small tree, 2-5 m high.
Gardenia tubifera (Golden Gardenia). Southeastern Asia. Small tree to 15 m high.
Gardenia turgida India. Shrub or small tree to 4 m high, with spines.
Gardenia volkensii (Transvaal Gardenia or Savanna Gardenia). Tropical Africa.