FoI
Himalayan Garcinia
Share Foto info
Himalayan Garcinia
ative Photo: Jayesh Patil
Common name: Himalayan Garcinia, Mysore Gamboge, Sour mangosteen, False Mangosteen • Assamese: Dampel, Tamal hindi tepor, Tepor tenga • Bengali: chalata • Garo: aruak • Hindi: Jharambi, Tamal, Tumul • Kannada: Devajarige, ದೇವಗರಿಕೆ Devagarike, ದೇವಣಿಗೆ Devangi, Gansargi, ಹಿರೆಕಣಗಿಲು Hirekanagilu, ಜೇವಣಿಗೆ Jevanige, ಗುರ್ಚಿ Gurchi, ನೇರಳೆಮಾವು Nerale maavu, ದೀವರಿಗೆ Deevarige, ಕಾಡುಜೀರಕ Kaadujeeraka, ಚಿಕ್ಕಕಮರುಕ Chikka kamaruka • Malayalam: anavaya, pinar, samudrapacca • Manipuri: ꯍꯩꯔꯥꯡꯈꯣꯢ Heirangkhoi, ꯍꯩꯔꯥꯡꯒꯣꯢ Heirang goi • Mizo: Tuaihabet, Theihmuisawi • Nepali: छुंयाल Chunyal • Oriya: tapinchha • Sanskrit: Bhavishya, Kalakhanda, Kusumodar • Tamil: பச்சிலை Paccilai, Pachilai, Pacchilai • Telugu: Cikatimranu, Ivarumamidi, Memaditamalamu, Sikatimramu
Botanical name: Garcinia xanthochymus    Family: Clusiaceae (Garcinia family)
Synonyms: Garcinia pictoria, Garcinia tinctoria
Himalayan Garcinia is a small evergreen tree reaching up to 15 m in height, with a short, straight trunk, more or less horizontal branches and a dense, pyramidal crown. Leaves are narrowly oblong, 12-24 cm long. Flowers arise in leaf axils in groups of 4-8. Flowers are about 2 cm, with 5 gree sepals and 5 white petals. Fruits are round, pointed, up to 9 cm in diameter, pale orange to dark yellow. The fruit is edible, it has a pleasant acid taste and is mainly used as a breakfast fruit. It is also used for jam, curries and vinegar. The latex is sometimes used in dying. Himalayan Garcinia is found in East Himalaya, Peninsular India, China and SE Asia.
Medicinal uses: Seeds are traditionally prescribed in piles, dysentery and intestinal disorders.
Identification credit: Satish Pardeshi Photographed at Jijamata Udyan, Mumbai.
• Is this flower misidentified? If yes,