''Garcinia'' is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Clusiaceae The Clusiaceae or Guttiferae Juss. (1789) (''nom. alt. et cons.'' = alternative and valid name) are a family (biology), family of plants including 13 genera and ca 750 species. Several former members of Clusiacae are now placed in Calophyllaceae ...

native to the

Sundaland Sundaland (also called Sundaica or the Sundaic region) is a biogeographical region of Southeast Asia corresponding to a larger landmass that was exposed throughout the last 2.6 million years during periods when sea levels were lower. It inc ...

bioregion of Asia, America, Australia,

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

and southern Africa, and

Polynesia Polynesia ( , ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of more than 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are called Polynesians. They have many things in ...

. The number of

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

is disputed; Plants of the World Online (POWO) recognise up to 400. Commonly, the plants in this genus are called saptrees, mangosteens (which may also refer specifically to ''

Garcinia mangostana Mangosteen (''Garcinia mangostana''), also known as the purple mangosteen, is a tropical evergreen tree with edible fruit native to Island Southeast Asia, from the Malay Peninsula to Borneo. It has been cultivated extensively in tropical Asia ...

''), or garcinias, and is one of several plants known as by the name "

monkey fruit Monkey fruit is a common name for several plants and can refer to some species in the following genera: *'' Artocarpus'', particularly '' Artocarpus lacucha'' and '' Artocarpus rigidus'' *''Garcinia ''Garcinia'' is a genus of flowering plants in ...

". The genus is named after French botanist

Laurent Garcin Laurent may refer to: *Laurent (name), a French masculine given name and a surname **Saint Laurence (aka: Saint ''Laurent''), the martyr Laurent **Pierre Alphonse Laurent, mathematician **Joseph Jean Pierre Laurent, amateur astronomer, discoverer ...

(1683–1751). Trees of many species from this genus tend to grow deep in forested areas where other plants grow nearby. They are threatened by

habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...

, and at least one species, '' G. cadelliana'', from

South Andaman Island South Andaman Island is the southernmost island of the Great Andaman and is home to the majority of the population of the Andaman Islands. It belongs to the South Andaman administrative district, part of the Indian union territory of Andaman a ...

, is almost or even completely

extinct Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...

already.

Description

''Garcinia'' species are

evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has Leaf, foliage that remains green and functional throughout the year. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which lose their foliage completely during the winter or dry season. Consisting of many diffe ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only ...

s and

shrub A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

dioecious Dioecy ( ; ; adj. dioecious, ) is a characteristic of certain species that have distinct unisexual individuals, each producing either male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproduction is ...

and in several cases

apomictic In botany, apomixis is asexual reproduction, asexual development of seed or embryo without Fertilisation, fertilization. However, other definitions include replacement of the seed by a plantlet or replacement of the flower by bulbils. Apomictic ...

. Among neotropical ''Garcinia'' several species are dioecious ('' G. leptophylla'', ''G. macrophyll''a and ''G. magnifolia''), although male and female trees have often been observed to have some degree of self-fertility. The flowering season of garcinias may happen after 10-15 years after growth. Male flowers last longer than female flowers that lose petals after a short blooming period. The species' female flower stigmas swell to produce berries with fleshy white flesh with reddish to dark-coloured woody

exocarp Fruits are the mature ovary or ovaries of one or more flowers. They are found in three main anatomical categories: aggregate fruits, multiple fruits, and simple fruits. Fruitlike structures may develop directly from the seed itself rather th ...

s when they ripen; the stigma lobes can be seen on the opposite or free ends (''exterior apices'') of many species' fruits. The fruits are food source for several animals, such as the archduke butterflies (''Lexias'' spp.) of tropical eastern Asia which relish the sap of overripe mangosteens.

Uses

The fruit of most species of ''Garcinia'' are eaten locally; some species' fruits are highly esteemed in one region, but unknown just a few hundred kilometres away. The best-known species is ''

'', which is now cultivated throughout Southeast Asia and other tropical countries, having become established in the late 20th century. Less well-known, but still of international importance, are kandis (''G. forbesii'') with small round red fruits with subacid taste and melting flesh, the lemon drop mangosteen (''G. intermedia'') with yellow fruit that look like a wrinkled

lemon The lemon (''Citrus'' × ''limon'') is a species of small evergreen tree in the ''Citrus'' genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. A true lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some ...

, and the thin-skinned orange button mangosteen (''G. prainiana''). In addition, mangosteen rind (

) extract is used as a

spice In the culinary arts, a spice is any seed, fruit, root, Bark (botany), bark, or other plant substance in a form primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of pl ...

. It figures prominently in Kodava culture, and '' G. multiflora'' is used to flavour and colour the famous ''

bún riêu ''Bún riêu'' is a traditional Vietnamese soup of clear stock and rice vermicelli. There are several varieties of ''bún riêu'', including ''bún riêu cua'' (minced crab), ''bún riêu cá'' (minced crab and fish) and ''bún riêu ốc'' (min ...

'' soup of

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

, where this plant is known as ''hạt điều màu''. '' Garcinia gummi-gutta'' yields a spice widely used in

South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

, in particular in

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

, where it is called ''kodumpulli''. Most species in Garcinia are known for their gum

resin A resin is a solid or highly viscous liquid that can be converted into a polymer. Resins may be biological or synthetic in origin, but are typically harvested from plants. Resins are mixtures of organic compounds, predominantly terpenes. Commo ...

, brownish-yellow from

xanthonoid A xanthonoid is a chemical natural phenolic compound formed from the xanthone backbone. Many members of the Clusiaceae The Clusiaceae or Guttiferae Juss. (1789) (''nom. alt. et cons.'' = alternative and valid name) are a family (biology), fami ...

s such as

mangostin Mangostin is a natural xanthonoid, a type of organic compound isolated from various parts of the mangosteen tree (''Garcinia mangostana''). It is a yellow crystalline solid with a xanthone core structure. Source The rind of partially ripe mangos ...

, and used as

purgative Laxatives, purgatives, or aperients are substances that loosen stools and increase bowel movements. They are used to treat and prevent constipation. Laxatives vary as to how they work and the side effects they may have. Certain stimulant, lubri ...

cathartic In medicine, a cathartic is a substance that ''accelerates'' defecation. This is similar to a laxative, which is a substance that ''eases'' defecation, usually by softening feces. It is possible for a substance to be both a laxative and a cathar ...

, but most frequently – at least in former times – as a

pigment A pigment is a powder used to add or alter color or change visual appearance. Pigments are completely or nearly solubility, insoluble and reactivity (chemistry), chemically unreactive in water or another medium; in contrast, dyes are colored sub ...

. The colour term gamboge refers to this pigment. Extracts of the exocarp of certain species – typically ''G. gummi-gutta'', but also ''G. mangostana'' – are often contained in

appetite suppressant An anorectic is a drug that reduces appetite, resulting in lower food consumption, leading to weight loss. These substances work by affecting the central nervous system or certain neurotransmitters to create a feeling of fullness or reduce the desi ...

s, but their effectiveness at normal consumption levels is unproven, while at least one case of severe

acidosis Acidosis is a biological process producing hydrogen ions and increasing their concentration in blood or body fluids. pH is the negative log of hydrogen ion concentration and so it is decreased by a process of acidosis. Acidemia The term ac ...

caused by long-term consumption of such products has been documented. Furthermore, they may contain significant amounts of hydroxycitric acid, which is somewhat toxic and might even destroy the

testicles A testicle or testis ( testes) is the gonad in all male bilaterians, including humans, and is homologous to the ovary in females. Its primary functions are the production of sperm and the secretion of androgens, primarily testosterone. The ...

after prolonged use. Bitter kola ( ''G. kola'') seeds are used in

folk medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...

. '' G. mannii'' is popular as a

chew stick A teeth-cleaning twig (in Hindi: ''datwoon'') is an oral hygiene tool made from a twig from a tree. It can help to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. History Chew sticks are twigs or roots of certain plants that are chewed until one end is ...

in western

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, freshening the breath and cleaning the teeth. '' G. subelliptica'', called ''fukugi'' in

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

, is the

floral emblem In a number of countries, plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas. Some countries have a country-wide floral emblem; others in addition have symbols representing subdivisions. Different processes have been used t ...

of Mobuto and Tarama on

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

. The

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

n town of

Beruas Beruas (alternative spelling: Bruas) is a small town and mukim in Manjung District, Perak, Malaysia. Name Beruas is named for a local mangosteen-like tree, '' Garcinia hombroniana'', the "seashore mangosteen", called in the local Malay dial ...

– often spelled "Bruas" – derives its name from the seashore mangosteen ('' G. hombroniana''), known locally as ''pokok bruas''. It has been used for many years by certain African tribes as a tonic believed to increase 'energy levels' and to possess digestive and fat-busting properties.

Selected species

Kew Kew () is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its population at the 2011 census was 11,436. Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ("Kew Gardens"), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is ...

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

lists more than 400 accepted species, which include:

Genetic Diversity

The genetic diversity of 22 Garcinia accessions was analyzed using peroxidase, RAPD markers, and gene sequence-specific amplification polymorphism (GSSAP). Genetic diversity assessment revealed low genetic variation among them. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Garcinia species clustered into five groups at a mean similarity coefficient of 0.54. This study showed that the ''G. magostana'' accessions can be clearly distinguished by combined peroxidase, RAPD, and gene sequence-specific amplification polymorphism.

References

{{Authority control Malpighiales genera Dioecious plants Medicinal plants