Garcinia travancorica

Bedd.

Clusiaceae Edible: Possibly not edible 2 iNaturalist observations

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Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Garcinia travancorica is a species of flowering plant in the family Clusiaceae. It is found only in India. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Description

A tree. It grows 12 m tall. The small branches are 4 sided. The leaves are simple and opposite. The leaf bases overlap. The leaf blade is 5-11 cm long by 2-3 cm wide. They are narrowly oblong. The fruit is a berry 4-5 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. There are 1-2 brown seeds.

Medicinal Uses

Gamboge, a gum-resin obtained from the plant, is used as an ointment. Gamboge has been employed in western medicine as a hydragogue-cathartic, but is little used now.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It grows in wet evergreen forest. It occurs between 900-1,600 m above sea level in Tamil Nadu. It is in areas with a rainfall of 200-400 cm. The temperature is 16°-24°C.

Where It Grows

Asia, India,

Propagation

Seed - we have no specific information on this species, but the seed of most members of the genus can be slow to germinate, even if sown fresh, often taking 6 months or more.

Other Uses

Gamboge, a gum-resin obtained from the plant, is used as a yellow dye, as an illuminant and in varnishes, water colours etc. Gamboge is a gum-resin which is obtained from the bark, branches and fruits of several species in the genus Garcinia. It contains around 70 - 80% resin with 15 - 25% gum and is used primarily as a pigment, being used to dye cloth (the yellow silken robes of Buddhist monks are often dyed with it), as well as supplying a golden-yellow colouring to varnishes, lacquers, paints, ink, water colours etc. The wood is yellowish-brown with a pale yellow sapwood. It is hard, heavy and close grained.