Plumeria (), known as frangipani, is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. Most species are deciduous shrubs or small trees. The species variously are endemic to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, and as far south as Brazil and north as Florida (United States), but are sometimes grown as cosmopolitan ornamentals in warm regions. Names The genus Plumeria is named in honour of 17th-century French botanist and Catholic monk Charles Plumier, who traveled to the New World documenting many plant and animal species. Plumeria is also used as a common name, especially in horticultural circles. The name "frangipani" comes from a 16th-century marquis of the noble Frangipani family in Italy, who created a synthetic plumeria-like perfume. Common names for plants in the genus vary widely according to region, variety, and whim, but frangipani or variations on that theme are the most common. In eastern India and Bangladesh, plumeria is traditionally considered as a variety of the champak flower, the golok chapa (গোলোক চাঁপা), meaning the champaka that resides in the heavenly home of Sri Krishna, a Hindu god at the highest realm of heaven. The flower, considered sacred, is also known by the names gulancha and kath golap (literally, wood rose). Taxonomy Species The genus Plumeria includes about a dozen accepted species, and one or two dozen are open to review, with over 100 regarded as synonyms. Plants of the World Online lists the following: Synonyms The following may be designated to the nominate subspecies of Plumeria obtusa L.: Plumeria clusioides Griseb. - Cuba Plumeria cubensis Urb. - Cuba Plumeria ekmanii Urb. - Cuba Plumeria emarginata Griseb. - Cuba Plumeria krugii Urb. - Puerto Rico Plumeria montana Britton & P.Wilson - Cuba Plumeria venosa Britton - Cuba The following may be considered synonyms of P. obtusa var. sericifolia (C.Wright ex Griseb.) Woodson: Plumeria lanata Britton - Cuba Plumeria sericifolia C.Wright ex Griseb. - Cuba Plumeria trinitensis Britton - Cuba Plumeria tuberculata G.Lodd. - Hispaniola, Bahamas Formerly included in genus Plumeria ambigua Müll.Arg. = Himatanthus bracteatus (A.DC.) Woodson Plumeria angustiflora Spruce ex Müll.Arg. = Himatanthus attenuatus (Benth.) Woodson Plumeria articulata Vahl = Himatanthus articulatus (Vahl) Woodson Plumeria attenuata Benth = Himatanthus attenuatus (Benth.) Woodson Plumeria bracteata A.DC. = Himatanthus bracteatus (A.DC.) Woodson Plumeria drastica Mart. = Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel Plumeria fallax Müll.Arg. = Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel Plumeria floribunda var floribunda = Himatanthus