Edible : Fruit
A tree. It grows 8-15 m tall. The trunk is short and straight. The trunk is 40-50 cm thick. The crown is dense and shaped like a pyramid. The bark is grey-brown. The latex is white and sticky. The branches and leaves often droop. The twigs are angular. The leaves are large. They are 12-24 cm long by 4-7 cm wide. They are shiny above and rough underneath. They are pale green when young. The leaf stalk is 1-2.5 cm long. The male and female flowers are separate. The flowers occur in tufts of 4 -10. These are white and about 1 cm across. The fruit is a golden yellow berry. They are 6-9 cm across. The skin is smooth and pale orange to dark yellow. The pulp is yellow, juicy and acidic. It usually contains 1-5 seeds. These are brown and 2.5 cm long.
A tropical plant. It suits the hot humid tropical lowlands. It grows in dense humid forests of valleys or on hills; (100-(600)-1000 (-1400) m altitude in China. It grows in seasonal rainforest and monsoonal rainforest. It suits humid locations. The tree will grow in cooler regions but fruit are not produced. It can tolerate shade and grow in poor soils including a high pH. It suits hardiness zones 11-12. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. In XTBG Yunnan.
Other names :
Asam gelugur, Asam kandis, Chakhasa, Chiuri, Cochin-goraka, Da ye teng huang, Dampal, Daungyan, Dawyan-ban, Dem-gola, Dephal, Demphal, Dharamba, Dieng-soh-rynsan, Dongbei, False mangosteen, Gavei, Guomanda, Heirangkhoi, Hmandaw, Hong Phap, Jevra memadie, Jharamb, Jhrambi, Mada-luang, Mada, Madaw, Mysore gamboge, Ota, Pinar, Pohon manggis asam, Sitambu, Suagke, Tamal, Tamala, Tempwr, Tepor tenga, Thesampreng, Tinctoria, Tuai-ha-bet, Yellow mangosteen, Gamboge, Himalayan garcinia
Synonyms :
Garcinia pictoria (Roxb.) Engl.;
Garcinia tinctoria (DC.) W. Wight;
Garcinia tinctoria (DC.) Dunn;
Stalagmitis pictoria G. Don;
Xanthochymus pictorius Roxb.;
Xanthochymus tinctorius DC.;