Camby gardenia

Gardenia resinifera is a small dry-forest tree whose leaf buds are sealed in a yellow, aromatic resin. Along with Gardenia gummifera it is a source of dikamali, the gum of Indian bazaars. It carries large white flowers that open at night, and its older name in floras is Gardenia lucida.

Botanical name

Gardenia resinifera Roth

Family

Rubiaceae

Tamil

Kambilipisin

Hindi

Dikamali

Parts used

Leaf-bud gum (historical; not a kitchen sweet)

Habit

Second dikamali; G. gummifera is the other gum

Last updated

2026-10-25

How to recognise Camby gardenia

The leaves are glossy, smooth and fairly large, crowded at the ends of the branches. The buds at the branch tips are covered in sticky, shining yellow resin, the feature behind the species name.

Flowers are white, fragrant, with a long tube and five spreading lobes, opening at dusk and yellowing as they age.

Scraped and dried, the bud resin hardens into translucent greenish-yellow lumps with a sharp, slightly unpleasant smell.

The fruit is an oval, ridged berry with a persistent calyx at the top.

Gardenia gummifera is usually a smaller, stiffer shrub with smaller leaves. Both yield dikamali resin and are often mixed in trade.

Traditional use of Camby gardenia

Veterinary and household

Dikamali resin has a strong smell that repels flies, and it was smeared on animal wounds and sores to keep flies away.

Indian veterinary practice

Ayurveda and Unani

Dikamali appears in classical and Unani materia medica, mainly for digestive and external uses.

Indian materia medica

Modern notes on Camby gardenia

Chemical studies of dikamali describe flavonoids and terpenoids in the resin. There are no good clinical studies in people.

Collection is still mostly from wild trees, by scraping the buds.

Camby gardenia safety

Do not swallow the resin without professional guidance. Its effects in people are not well studied.

Ecology and sourcing

It grows in dry deciduous forest of peninsular India and extends to Myanmar.

Scraping buds too hard stops new shoots from growing, so careful collection matters for the trees.

Related plants

Also in Rubiaceae

Questions about Camby gardenia

Is Camby gardenia the only dikamali?

No. Gardenia gummifera is the other main source.

What older names does Gardenia resinifera go by?

Gardenia lucida.

Is the resin a sweet?

No. It is a bitter, aromatic resin.

How is Camby gardenia different from boxwood gardenia?

Boxwood gardenia, Gardenia latifolia, has much broader, rounded leaves and no resin on its buds.

Sources

• Gardenia resinifera Roth — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
• Wikidata item Q15456177 (Gardenia resinifera)

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.