Garcinia pedunculata

Garcinia pedunculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Clusiaceae
Genus: Garcinia
Species: G. pedunculata
Binomial name
Garcinia pedunculata
Roxb. ex Buch.-Ham.

Garcinia pedunculata, popularly known as bar thekera (বৰ ঠেকেৰা) in Assamese, is an evergreen tree related to the more familiar purple mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana). The tree is endemic to the south-eastern regions of Asia such as parts of Myanmar and north-eastern parts of India.

Tree and fruit

The tree has a fluted trunk with short spreading branches. Leaves are lanceolate with prominent midribs. Male flowers are light green in sparsely flowered panicles. The female flowers are solitary. The roundish fruit with a diameter ranging between 8 to 12 cm. It has a juicy interior with edible arils.[1]

Uses

Dried fruit of Garcinia pedunculata

The ripe fruit is eaten cooked or raw. Usually the ripe or raw fruits are sliced, sun-dried and preserved. In the state of Assam, such slices are much valued and used for preparing delicacies like "tenga diya masor jol" meaning Assamese sour fish curry. It can also be prepared with other vegetables, especially fritters made with lentils.[2][3]

References

  1. "Wild Edible Plants of Assam" (PDF). Director, Forest Communication, Forest Department, Assam, India.
  2. "Mangosteen Fish Curry (Thekera Maas Tenga)".
  3. "Lentil fritters in a light sour curry". Sunita Bhuyan.


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