Garcinia pushpangadaniana T.Sabu, N.Mohanan, Krishnaraj & Shareef, Phytotaxa

N., Mohanan, P. S., Shameer, Abstract, T. Sabu & L., Garcinia, 2023, Taxonomic revision of Garcinia (Clusiaceae) in India, Rheedea 33 (3), pp. 101-158 : 141

Garcinia pushpangadaniana T.Sabu, N.Mohanan, Krishnaraj & Shareef, Phytotaxa 116(2): 52. 2013 ; T.S. Nayar et al., Fl. Pl. Western Ghats 2: 1237. 2014. G. xanthochymus sensu Sasidh., Biodiv. Doc. Kerala Fl. Pl. 6: 40. 2000. Type: INDIA, Kerala, Idukki district, Kadalar, N 100 7’46.1˝ E 0770 01’18.7˝, 1379 m, 15.05.2012, Sabu, Shareef & Krishnaraj 72601 (holo TBGT!; iso CAL!, CALI!, MH!). FiG. 14D–f

Dioecious, evergreen to semi-evergreen trees, 15–20 m tall; exudation milky; crown pyramidal with horizontally spreading branches, ending with drooping branchlets; branchlets 4-angled, Petiole 1.5–2 cm, transversely rugose and with longitudinal ridges, adaxially ligulate at the base; lamina elliptic-oblong, 14–20 × 6–8 cm, obtuse at base, margins sub-repand or revolute, acute to obtuse at apex, midribs prominent on both sides, glabrous; lateral veins 28–34 pairs per side, raised on both surfaces. Staminate flowers pentamerous, 2–10, fascicled axillary or on axils of fallen leaves, 1–1.5 × 0.8–1 cm; pedicels 0.7–1 cm long, stout; sepals orbicular to sub-orbicular, c. 0.5 cm across, convex, coriaceous, margins membranous, ciliate; petals pink or pale green, 0.8–1 cm across, orbicular, shortly clawed at base, membranous on margins, stamens 12–15 each, 5-phalangiate; disc 5, glandular, alternating with staminal bundles; filaments c. 0.1 cm long; rudimentary pistil absent. Pistillate flowers pentamerous, 2–8, fascicled axillary or on axils of fallen leaves, 1–1.5 × 1–1.3 cm; pedicel 1–1.5 cm long, stout; sepals imbricate, orbicular to sub-orbicular, c. 0.6 cm wide, convex; petals pink or white with reddish tinge, orbicular, 1–1.2 cm wide, membranaceous and ciliate at margin; staminodes 3–5 each, in 5 phalanges; ovary globose, c. 0.6 cm in diam., 6–8-loculed, stigma 6–8-lobed, stellate, Berries top shaped, 10–12 × 8–11 cm, shortly mamellate at tip, fleshy, irregularly wrinkled on surface. Aril inconspicuous. Seeds 1–4, plano-convex, 1.5–2 × 0.8–1 cm, with rugous testa.

Vernacular names: Manthipuli (Malayalam).

Flowering & fruiting: Flowering from March to

May; fruiting from May to August.

Habitat: Evergreen and shola forests, between 850– 1450 m elevation.

Distribution: Endemic to the Western Ghats.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Kerala, Idukki district, Mankulam , 10.05.1915, R. Venkada Rao 3433 ( TBGT) ; Irumbuthara , 1300 m, 29.03.2012, Shareef & Roy 72414 ( TBGT) ; Kadalar , 14.05.2015, P. S. Shameer 86607 ( TBGT) ; Wallakkad , 01.04.2014, P. S. Shameer 86606 ( TBGT) . Palakkad district, Walakkad, Silent Valley , 1700 m, 24.03.1982, Prasannakumar 10320 ( CALI) ; Ibid. , 15.11.1983, Prasannakumar 11430 ( CALI) ; Ibid. , 30.05.1984, T. Sabu 11448 ( CALI) ; Ibid. , 28.02.1988, T. Sabu 11334 ( CALI) . Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore district, Ayerpady , 20.04.1903, Barber 2841( MH) ; Ibid. , 20.04.1903, Barber 5420 ( MH) ; Ibid. , 06.11.1901, Barber 3963 ( MH) ; Ibid. , s.d., Barber 3841 ( CAL) ; Ibid. , 4100’, 25.04.1912, Fisher 3387 ( FRC) ; Coimbatore , 1250 m, 22.10.1961, Joseph 13093 ( MH) ; Ibid. , 1400 m, 22.07.1978, Chandrabose 57234 ( MH) ; Ibid., Lower Nirar to Italiar Forest , 1250 m, 06.09.1983, Ramamurthy 78412 ( MH) .

Notes: The authors could find a few specimens of this taxon in different herbaria (CAL, CALI, FRC, and MH), collected from different localities in the Western Ghats. Because of the resemblance in vegetative characters, they were previously identified erroneously as G. xanthochymus Hook.f. ex T.Anderson and are correctly identified here as G. pushpangadaniana . This species has the largest fruit (10–12 × 8–11 cm) among Indian Garcinia and weighs 500–600 gm.

Uses: Rind is used as a substitute to camboge in curries by tribal people.

Figures

FiG. 14. Species of Garcinia L. in India: a–c. G. pedunculata Roxb. ex Buch.-Ham; D–f. G. pushpangadaniana T.Sabu, N.Mohanan, M.V.Krishnaraj & S.M.Shareef; G–i. G. rubro-echinata Kosterm.; j–l. G. sibeswarii Shameer, J.Sarma, N.Mohanan & A.Begum (a, d, g, j. Staminate flowers; b, e, h, k. Pistillate flowers; c, f, i, l. Fruits; photos by N. Mohanan & P.S. Shameer).