Garcinia
Garcinia
Garcinia is a genus of tropical and subtropical plants in the family Clusiaceae. They are native to Asia, Australia, tropical and southern Africa, and Polynesia. The number of species is disputed; various sources recognize between 50 and about 300.
Pronunciation
Gar-cin-ia
Etymology
The genus Garcinia was named by Linnaeus after Dr. Laurent Garcin, a French naturalist, who first described the plant.
Related Terms
- Clusiaceae: The plant family to which Garcinia belongs.
- Tropical plants: Plants that grow in tropical climates, like Garcinia.
- Subtropical plants: Plants that grow in subtropical climates, like some species of Garcinia.
- Polynesia: A region where Garcinia species are found.
- Linnaeus: The botanist who named the genus Garcinia.
Species
There are many species of Garcinia, some of which are:
- Garcinia cambogia: A tropical species of Garcinia native to Indonesia. Its fruit rind extract is a popular supplement in weight loss products.
- Garcinia gummi-gutta: A tropical species of Garcinia native to Indonesia. Common names include Garcinia cambogia, as well as brindleberry, Malabar tamarind, and kudam puli (pot tamarind).
- Garcinia mangostana: Known as mangosteen, it is a tropical evergreen tree believed to have originated in the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas of Indonesia.
Uses
Garcinia species are evergreen trees and shrubs, dioecious and in several cases apomictic. The fruit is a berry with fleshy endocarp, which in several species is delicious. The best-known species is the purple mangosteen (G. mangostana), which is now cultivated throughout Southeast Asia and other tropical countries for its fruit. 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.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Garcinia
- Wikipedia's article - Garcinia
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