Day jessamine (Cestrum diurnum) is an evergreen shrub native to the West Indies and is cultivated worldwide for ornamental purposes. The shrub has smooth-edged, ovate leaves and blooms white, trumpet-shaped flowers in stalked clusters which are mildly fragrant during the day and intensifies at night. C. diurnum blooms are followed by 1/4 inch green oval berry fruits which turn a glossy black or eggplant purple as they ripen to shiny blue-black, each containing between 4-14 seeds.
Toxic components C. diurnum contains calcinogenic glycosides of vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3), which results in vitamin D intoxication. Chicks fed C. diurnum leaves developed nephrocalcinosis, demineralization of bones, calcinosis, and hypercalcemia.
