Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Nyctanthes sambac in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 6.
today: The current name for this species is Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton
original Latin description
Nyctanthes foliis inferioribus cordatis obtusis, superioribus ovatis acutis.
English translation
Nyctanthes with leaf blades—the lower cordate [and] obtuse, the upper ovate [and] acute.
| Nyctanthes | Nyctanthes |
| with leaf blades— | foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| the lower | inferioribus - ablative plural neuter of comparative degree of group A adjective inferus, -a, -um; agrees with foliis |
| cordate | cordatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective cordatus, -a, -um; agrees with foliis |
| [and] | added for smoother reading |
| obtuse, | obtusis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective obtusus, -a, -um; agrees with foliis |
| the upper | superioribus - ablative plural neuter of comparative degree of group A adjective superus, -a, -um; agrees with foliis |
| ovate | ovatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; agrees with foliis |
| [and] | added for smoother reading |
| acute. | acutis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective acutus, -a, -um; agrees with foliis |