Gardenia tubifera (Water Gardenia)

Native to Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Sumatra and Borneo, this evergreen tree grows in moist tropical forests, including swampy and coastal habitats. Opposite leaves are glossy and spoon-shaped. Solitary, fragrant flowers have long tubes and six to eight spreading lobes. The flowers open cream and become yellow to orange as they age. A smooth, broadly sheathing calyx surrounds the tube. Rounded fruits split at maturity to expose seeds embedded in yellow-orange pulp. Insects pollinate the flowers, and birds are attracted to the fruits. It is presumed extinct in the wild in Singapore, where it survives in cultivated collections. Photographed in Florida.