Common Name: Seashore Mangosteen

General Information

Garcinia celebica is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree with a pyramidal crown; it can grow from 9 - 36 metres tall. The bole, especially in larger trees, is fluted, sometimes with steep buttresses[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of wood. The tree is also sometimes cultivated for its fruit in parts of SE Asia[]. It has been recommended as a potential commercial crop through improvement by selective breeding[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southeast Asia - Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea, northern Australia.

Habitat

A mid-canopy tree growing in littoral to sub-montane forests at elevations up to 1,400 metres[, ]. Usually on hillsides and ridges. Also found on limestone. In secondary forests usually present as a pre-disturbance remnant tree[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	20.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows well in dappled shade[].
The tree resembles the mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), but its latex is white and the flowers are smaller[].
This species has been suggested for breeding with other members of the genus in order to improve their fruiting qualities[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms usually need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[, ]. At least some dioecious Garcinia species, however, are able to produce fertile seed even in the absence of fertilization (asexual reproduction). Such seeds would be expected to be genetically identical to the parent[]

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[, ]. The white, acid pulp has a pleasant, agreeable flavour[, , ]. The yellow-red, fleshy berry is about 3cm in diameter[].

Fruit - raw or made into preserves[]. The flesh around the seed has a delicious taste[]. It is sour, with a flavour of peaches[]. The bright rose-red fruit is a globose berry, 5cm in diameter, with a scent of apples and numerous seeds[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the root may be administered after childbirth as a preventive medicine[].
The roots and leaves are used to relieve itching[].

The tree yields an inferior kind of gamboge (a gum-resin), which is used medcinally[].

Other Uses

The plant has been suggested as a rootstock for the mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana)[].

The reddish-brown wood is close and cross-grained, very hard[]. Highly esteemed[]. It is used for general building purposes[, ].

Propagation

Seed - we have no specific information on this species, but the seed of most members of the genus can be slow to germinate, even if sown fresh, often taking 6 months or more[].

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