Mangosteen

Mangosteen, produced by Garcinia mangostana (natural order Clusiaceæ), is considered the most delicious and wholesome of all fruits. The tree, which is a native of the Moluccas, grows about 20 feet high in very regular symmetrical form. The leaves are large, oval, entire, deep dark green above with a dull lustre, olive-green below. The open flowers resemble those of a red rose, but have only four petals. The fruit, in size and shape, resembles a middling-sized orange; it is dark brown, spotted with yellow or gray, has a thick rind, and is divided internally by thin partitions into cells. The pulp is soft and juicy, of a rose colour, refrigerant and slightly laxative, with a mixture of sweetness and acidity, and has an extremely delicate flavour. It may be eaten very freely with perfect safety, and is esteemed very beneficial in fevers. It is cultivated in Java and in the south-east of Asia; it has recently become common in Ceylon, and has been successfully introduced into other tropical countries.