Garcinia lanceifolia Roxb. var. lanceifolia

N., Mohanan, P. S., Shameer, Abstract, T. Sabu & L., Garcinia, 2023, Taxonomic revision of Garcinia (Clusiaceae) in India, Rheedea 33 (3), pp. 101-158 : 135-136

Garcinia lanceifolia Roxb. var. lanceifolia

Dioecious evergreen shrubs or small trees, 4–12 m tall; exudation yellow; branches profusely spreading; branchlets terete. Petioles 0.8–1 cm long, adaxially ligulate at base; lamina linear-lanceolate, 6–10 × 2.5–3.5 cm, attenuate or cuneate at base, margins entire, cuspidate-acuminate at apex; midribs raised above and below, glabrous; lateral veins 8–10 pairs per side, raised on both surfaces. Staminate flowers tetramerous, solitary or in pairs, terminal or axillary; pedicel 0.8–1.2 cm long; sepals oblong, c. 0.2 × 0.4 cm, yellowish green; petals red, 0.3–0.4 cm long, somewhat smaller than sepals, slightly oblique; stamens 18–40, on a globose receptacle; rudimentary pistil absent. Pistillate flowers tetramerous, solitary, terminal or axillary, sessile; sepals and petals almost similar to staminate flowers; staminodes 4–8 each, in four bundles, connate at base of ovary in an irregular ring; ovary globose-obovoid or somewhat turbinate, 0.3–0.4 cm long, 6–8-loculed; stigma 6–8-rayed, sessile, tubercled. Berries obovoid or turbinate, 2.5– 3 cm in diam., smooth, orange-yellow on ripening, with persistent sepals. Seeds oblong, 6–8, 1–1.5 cm long, compressed.

Vernacular names: Bapohi-thekera, Kan tekera, Prangsu, Prango-arong (Assamese); Thisuru (Garo); Dieng-sohjadu (Khasi); Dieng-sohsint (Jain); Pelte (Lushai).

Flowering & fruiting: Flowering from February to March; fruiting from April to July.

Habitat: Commonly found in evergreen forests, between 200–1400 m elevation.

Distribution: India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan.

Specimens examined: INDIA, Assam, Chirang district, Thorasim hills, Schlich s.n. ( DD); Cachar district , Bomail WLS, 04.06.2012, A. A . Barphuiya 928 (ASSAM); Dibrugarh district, Jakoi Reserve forest , 27.06.2014, P. S . Shameer 7964 ( TBGT); Sivasagar district , s.d., S. C . Peal 297 ( CAL); Amgori , January 1888, G . Mann s.n. ( CAL); Gaurisagar , 06.03.1914, U. N . Kanjilal 3556 (ASSAM); Sibsagar, Chrigori , 22.04.1895, R. E. P . India ( Annon. ) 11166 ( MH) . Manipur, Tamenglong district , 26.05.1986, C. B . Clarke 44024 ( CAL) . Meghalaya, Khasi & Jaintia Hills, Khasi, s.d., Wallich s.n. ( CAL [ CAL46421 ]); Nartining , 27.11.1907, s.coll. 16055 (ASSAM) . Without precise locality, February 1848, s.coll. s.n. ( CAL [ CAL46436 ]); s.d., Jenkins s.n. ( MH [ MH68587 ]) . BENGLADESH, Rajabari , 18.04.1895, R. E. P . India ( Annon. ) 11152 ( CAL) ; MYANMAR, Tainjuup , 365 m, December 1911, S. M . Toppin R. A . 4169 (CAL).

Uses: The fruit pericarp is eaten raw. Dry sliced pericarps are used in fish curry; also used for treating dysentery. Gamboge, the gum resin is used as medicine and as yellow dye. ( Maheshwari, 1964; Baruah et al., 2021).