Garcinia indica - online puzzles

Garcinia indica, a plant in the mangosteen family (Clusiaceae), commonly known as kokum, is a fruit -bearing tree that has culinary, pharmaceutical, and industrial uses.

Taxonomy

The genus Garcinia, belonging to the family Clusiaceae, includes about 200 species found in the Old World tropics, mostly in Asia and Africa. Garcinia indica is an evergreen, monoecious tree. The tree can grow as high as 18 meters.On maturity the trees attain a pyramid shape.

The fruit is an orange size purple color berry with fleshy endocarp. The fruit of the plant contain five to eight large seeds which account for 20-23% of the fruit 's weight. The kernels account for 61 percent of the weight of the seed, while the oil content of the kernel accounts for about 44%. The seeds are compressed and embedded in an acidic pulp.

Distribution

Garcinia indica is indigenous to the Western Ghats region of India located along the western coast of the country. Of the 35 species found in India, 17 are endemic.