Statue of Unity – Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat Rain Forest Ektanagar

Garcinia indica

Syn. Brindonia indica

IUCN Red List Vulnerable (VU)

Local name

  • Goa Butter Tree (English)
  • Kokum (Hindi)
  • Ratambi (Marathi)

Tree type

Evergreen Deciduous
Family: Clusiaceae
15m

Indicated uses

Medicinal Edible Ornamental Avenue Other

Flowering & fruiting

Flowering Fruiting

Key characters

Garcinia indica bark

Bark

Dark brown to blackish-brown. Smooth in young trees, becoming rough and slightly fissured with age.

Garcinia indica leaves

Leaves

Having elliptic, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, deep-green glossy leaves, 5.5-8 cm long and 2.5-3 cm broad.

Garcinia indica flower

Flower

The flowers are fleshy, dark pink, solitary or in spreading cluster.

Garcinia indica fruit / seeds

Fruit / Seeds

Orange-sized fruits are deep purple-red, a four-lobed apex, sessile stigma, 6–8 seeds, and juicy, white, aromatic pulp.

Garcinia indica

Did you know?

Dried kokum rind, called Amsul, is widely used as a souring agent in Konkan and Goan cuisine and contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA), studied for metabolic effects.

Distribution

World map showing distribution

W. & SW. India