Nyctanthes arbor-tristis

Fruit in Bardhaman, West Bengal, India

Saplings of coral jasmine tree, udumalpet, Tamilnadu, India

The tree is sometimes called the "tree of sorrow", because the flowers lose their brightness during daytime; the scientific name arbor-tristis also means "sad tree". The flowers can be used as a source of yellow dye for clothing. The flower is called Gangaseuli and some where Jharaa sephali in Odisha, India. In the Borok Tipruri culture of Tripura, it is associated with the cycle of life i.e. birth and dying. It is popularly used as a garland for the dead.

The flower is the official flower of the state of West Bengal, and is also known as Parijat, Shefali and Siuli in local West Bengal region in India, and for Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand.[5] Nyctanthes arbor-tristis is commonly known as night-flowering jasmine and coral jasmine. It is referred to as Har-shringaar in Bihar's Mithilanchal and Madhesh. It is called Xewālee (hewālee, শেৱালী) in Assamese, while in Sri Lanka, it is called Sepalika (සේපාලිකා). In Kerala, where it is called Pavizhamalli (പവിഴമല്ലി) in Malayalam, Pavazhamalli (பவழ மல்லி) in Tamil,paardak(पार्दक) in Konkani. In Myanmar, it is called Seikphalu ( my:ဆိပ်ဖလူး ). It is used for Pujas and such ceremonies . It also has importance in old Malayalam romantic songs.

Krishna Uproots the Parijata Tree, manuscript from a Bhagavata Purana.

Parijat appears in several Hindu religious stories and is often related to the Kalpavriksha. In one story, which appears in Bhagavata Purana, the Mahabharata and the Vishnu Purana, parijat appeared as the result of the Samudra manthan (Churning of the Milky Ocean) and Lord Krishna battled with Indra to win parijat. Further on, his wife Satyabhama demanded the tree be planted in the backyard of her palace. It so happened that in spite of having the tree in her backyard, the flowers used to fall in the adjacent backyard of the other queen Rukmini, who was favourite of Lord Krishna, because of her superior devotion and humility. It is the subject of a prabandha named Parijatapaharanamu in Telugu literature written by Nandi Thimmana, the court-poet of Krishnadevaraya. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5, 2020[6] participated in a "Bhoomi Pujan" or a groundbreaking ceremony that marks the building of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Before laying the foundation stone of the temple, PM Modi planted a Parijat sapling in the temple premises.

Leaves in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

• Leaves: The leaves contain D-mannitol, β-sitosterol, flavanol glycosides, astragalin, nicotiflorin, oleanolic acid, nyctanthic acid, tannic acid, ascorbic acid, methyl salicylate, an amorphous glycoside, an amorphous resin, trace of volatile oil, carotene, friedeline, lupeol, mannitol, glucose, fructose, iridoid glycosides, and benzoic acid.
• Flowers: The flowers contain essential oils, nyctanthin, D-mannitol, tannins, glucose, carotenoids, glycosides including β-monogentiobioside ester of α-crocetin (or crocin-3), β-monogentiobioside-β-D monoglucoside ester of α-crocetin, and β-digentiobioside ester of α-crocetin (or crocin-1).
• Seeds: The seeds contain arbortristosides A and B; glycerides of linoleic, oleic, lignoceric, stearic, palmitic and myristic acids; nyctanthic acid; 3,4-secotriterpene acid; and a water-soluble polysaccharide composed of D-glucose and D-mannose.
• Bark: The bark contains glycosides and alkaloids.
• Stem: The stems contain the glycoside naringenin-4’-0-β-glucapyranosyl-α-xylopyranoside and β-sitosterol.
• Flower oil: The flower oil contains α-pinene, p-cymene, 1-hexanol, methylheptanone, phenyl acetaldehyde, 1-decenol and anisaldehyde.
• Plant: The plant contains 2,3,4,6-tetra-0-methyl-D-glucose; 2,3,6 tri-0-methyl-D-glucose; 2,3,6-tri-0-methyl-D-mannose; 2,3,-di-0-methyl-D-mannose; arbortristosides A, B, and C; and iridoid glycosides.

• Jasminum sambac
• Tabernaemontana divaricata
• Trachelospermum jasminoides