Garcinia indica

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Garcinia indica
Garcinia indica - fruits, seeds, pulp and rinds.jpg
Kokum fruits, seeds, pulp and rinds
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Clusiaceae
Genus: Garcinia
Species:
G. indica
Binomial name
Garcinia indica

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. It grows primarily in India's Western Ghats: in the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. It is considered as an endemic species to the Western Ghats and forests in India. [2]

Contents

Plant description

Garcinia indica is a medium-sized evergreen tree. It grows to a height of about 18 m. The tree has drooping branches.

The fruits ripen in summer. They are berries. The trees bears a lot of fruits in favourable conditions. The fruits are spherical with a diameter of about 5 cm, with indentations on the top, on the stalk and on the bottom. The fruit has 5 to 8 seeds surrounded by sweet and sour pulp. It contains some fibers. The fruits are initially green but turn red as they ripen.

Taxonomy

A kokum tree soon to be ready for harvest Kokum Plant.jpg
A kokum tree soon to be ready for harvest

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, [3] which can grow up to 18 meters high, on maturity attaining a pyramid shape.

The fruit, an orange-sized purple berry with fleshy endocarp, [4] [5] contains five to eight seeds, which account for 20–23% of the fruit's weight. The kernels account for 61 percent of the weight of the seed and about 44% of its oil. The seeds are compressed and embedded in an acidic pulp.

Distribution

Garcinia indica is indigenous to the tropical forest regions of India. Of the 35 species found in India, 17 are endemic. Of these, seven are endemic to the Western Ghats, six in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and four in the northeastern region of India. The kokum variety from the Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts from the coastal Konkan region of the state of Maharashtra in India has received the GI (Geographical Indication) tag. [6]

Garcinia indica is found in forest lands, riversides and wastelands. These plants prefer evergreen forests, but sometimes they also thrive in areas with relatively low rainfall. It is also cultivated on a small scale. It does not require irrigation, spraying with pesticides or fertilizers.

Uses

Culinary uses

The dried skin of kokum fruits Kokumfruitsdried.jpg
The dried skin of kokum fruits

The outer cover of fruit is dried in the sun to get aamsul or kokam. [7] It is used as a souring agent typically in Maharashtra, Assam, Karnataka, Goa, Gujarat. Kokum yields a distinctive flavour and deep-red colour. As a souring agent, it is used as an alternative to tamarind in curries and other dishes from south India. [5] It is also used in cuisine from Gujarat, where it is frequently used to add flavor and tartness to dal (lentil soup) for flavor balance. It is extensively used in Assamese cuisine in many dishes like masor tenga (sour fish curry) and tenga dali (sour dal).

The vessel on the left contains syrup which is obtained from the vessel containing kokum rinds, on the right. The syrup is used to make kokum sherbet. Garcinia indica syrup making from rinds.jpg
The vessel on the left contains syrup which is obtained from the vessel containing kokum rinds, on the right. The syrup is used to make kokum sherbet.

The fresh fruit is preserved with sugar to make bright-red squash that is diluted with water and bottled for sale as a beverage called Kokum Sarbat.

The extract of the fruit is called aagul in Konkani and Marathi. It is added during the preparation of solkadhi , which may also include coconut milk, coriander and garlic.

Industrial uses

The seed of Garcinia indica contains 23–26% Kokum butter, which remains solid at room temperature. It is used in the preparation of chocolate and sugar confectionery. [8]

Medicinal and cosmetics applications

The oily extract called Kukum butter is used in ointments and suppositories. [5] It has application in skin and hair products, acne products and skin tonics. [9]

The rind of the fruit is a good source of hydroxycitric acid which has been claimed to modify lipid metabolism. [5]

Other uses

The tree is ornamental, with a dense canopy of green leaves and red-tinged, tender, young leaves.

Related Research Articles

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<i>Garcinia</i> Genus of flowering plants

Garcinia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Clusiaceae native to Asia, America, Australia, tropical and southern Africa, and Polynesia. The number of species is disputed; Plants of the World Online (POWO) recognise up to 400. Commonly, the plants in this genus are called saptrees, mangosteens, or garcinias, and is one of several plants known as by the name "monkey fruit".

<i>Garcinia gummi-gutta</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Spondias</i> Genus of fruit trees

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<i>Madhuca longifolia</i> Species of tree

Madhuca longifolia is an Indian tropical tree found largely in the central, southern, north Indian plains and forests, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. It is commonly known as madhūka, madkam, mahuwa, Butter Tree, mahua, mahwa, mohulo, Iluppai, Mee or Ippa-chettu. It is a fast-growing tree that grows to approximately 20 meters in height, possesses evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage, and belongs to the family Sapotaceae. It is adaptable to arid environments, being a prominent tree in tropical mixed deciduous forests in India in the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

<i>Garcinia kola</i> Species of tree

Garcinia kola is a species of flowering plant belonging to the Mangosteen genus Garcinia of the family Clusiaceae. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, The Gambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

Garcinia rubroechinata, commonly known as malamkongu and sometimes known as Garcinia rubro-echinata, is a species of flowering plant in the family Clusiaceae. It is a tree which grows to 20 meters tall. It is found only in the Western Ghats of southern India.

<i>Dillenia indica</i> Species of tree

Dillenia indica, commonly known as elephant apple or ou tenga, is a species of Dillenia native to China, India, and tropical Asia. It is found in stony river banks.

<i>Vateria indica</i> Species of tree

Vateria indica, the white dammar, is a species of tree in the family Dipterocarpaceae. It is endemic to the Western Ghats mountains in India. It is threatened by habitat loss. It is a large canopy or emergent tree frequent in tropical wet evergreen forests of the low and mid-elevations.

<i>Garcinia morella</i> Species of flowering plant

Garcinia morella is a species of tree in the family Clusiaceae found in India, and Sri Lanka.

<i>Garcinia atroviridis</i> Species of tree

Garcinia atroviridis, known as asam gelugur, asam gelugo, or asam keping is a large rainforest tree native to Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. This species grows wild throughout Peninsular Malaysia but is also widely cultivated, especially in the northern states, owing to its economic and medicinal value. Garcinia atroviridis is a large perennial plant commonly found in evergreen forests in the southern region of Thailand and Malaysia.

<i>Garcinia pushpangadaniana</i> Species of flowering plant

Garcinia pushpangadaniana is a tree species in the family Clusiaceae. It was described in 2013 from a population found in the southern part of the Western Ghats in India. The specific epithet of this species honors Dr. P. Pushpangadan, former Director of Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden & Research Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kokum oil</span> Oil from the seeds of the kokum tree

Kokum oil is a seed oil derived from the seeds of the kokum tree. Kokum oil is edible and can also be used for things other than cooking.

<i>Syzygium alternifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Syzygium alternifolium is a species of plant in the family Myrtaceae. It is native to North Arcot, Cuddapah, Kurnool, and the Nagari hills, in eastern Chittoor district, India. It has alternate leaves.

<i>Bhesa indica</i> Species of flowering plant

Bhesa indica is a flowering plant tree species in the Centroplacaceae family. It is distributed along the tropical wet evergreen forests of the Western Ghats of India. It is considered synonymous with Bhesa paniculata by some authors.

Garcinia binucao is a species of flowering plant in the Clusiaceae family. It is commonly known as binukaw or batuan, is a species of Garcinia endemic to the Philippines. It is not cultivated, though its edible fruits are harvested from the wild for use as a souring agent in some Filipino dishes.

<i>Garcinia xanthochymus</i> Species of flowering plant

Garcinia xanthochymus, the false mangosteen, gamboge, yellow mangosteen, Himalayan Garcinia, or sour mangosteen is a species of mangosteens found from India, southern China, and Japan through Indochina to Peninsular Malaysia at elevations of 0 - 1400 meters. Plants are found growing in humid forests of valleys or on hills. It is locally known as defol (ডেফল) in Bengal, tepor tenga in Assam, and heirangoi (হৈরাংগোই) in Manipur.

Garcinia nitida, also known as kandis hutan, is a species of flowering plant, a dioecious understorey fruit tree in the mangosteen family, that is native to Southeast Asia.

<i>Garcinia talbotii</i> Species of tree

Garcinia talbotii is a large tree in the family Clusiaceae and is endemic to the Western Ghats of India. The tree has yellow latex, and can attain a height of 25 m and girth up to 2.2 m. This species was first reported from Gairsoppah Ghats in North Kanara of Karanataka district.

References

  1. ↑ Ved, D.; Saha, D.; Ravikumar, K.; Haridasan, K. (2015). "Garcinia indica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T50126592A50131340. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T50126592A50131340.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Shameer, P. S., Rameshkumar, K. B., & Mohanan, N. (2016). Diversity of Garcinia species in the Western Ghats. Diversity of Garcinia species in the Western Ghats: Phytochemical Perspective. Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute Palode, Akshara Offset Press Thiruvananthapuram, India|| page =4.
  3. ↑ "An article in the Resonance Magazine".
  4. ↑ Asinelli, M.E.C.; de Souza, M.C.; Mourao, K.S.M. (2011). "Fruit ontogeny of Garcinia gardneriana (Planch. & Triana) Zappi (Clusiaceae)". Acta Botanica Brasilica. 25 (43–52): 43–52. doi: 10.1590/S0102-33062011000100007 .
  5. 1 2 3 4 K. V. Peter (Editor); V.K. Raju (author); M. Reni (author) (17 August 2001). Handbook of Herbs and Spices. Elsevier. pp. 207–213. ISBN   978-1-85573-645-0.{{cite book}}: |author1= has generic name (help)
  6. ↑ "Details | Geographical Indications | Intellectual Property India". ipindiaservices.gov.in. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  7. ↑ Ron Herbst; Sharon Tyler Herbst (2015). The Deluxe Food Lover's Companion, 2nd edition. Barron's Educational Series. ISBN   978-1-4380-7621-8.
  8. ↑ Kanes K. Rajah (2002). Fats in Food Technology. CRC Press. p. 167. ISBN   978-0-8493-9784-4.
  9. ↑ Atha, Mohammad; Nasir, Syed Mahmood (January 2005). "Taxonomic perspective of plant species yielding vegetable oils used in cosmetics and skin care products". African Journal of Biotechnology. 4 (1): 36–44. ISSN   1684-5315.
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