A taxonomic revision of Garcinia section Xanthochymus (Clusiaceae) in Thailand

Chatchai Ngernsaengsaruay; Pichet Chanton; Minta Chaiprasongsuk; Nisa Leksungnoen

doi:10.7717/peerj.16572

A taxonomic revision of Garcinia section Xanthochymus (Clusiaceae) in Thailand

PeerJ. 2023 Dec 20:11:e16572. doi: 10.7717/peerj.16572. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Chatchai Ngernsaengsaruay^{1

2}, Pichet Chanton¹, Minta Chaiprasongsuk¹, Nisa Leksungnoen³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand.
² Biodiversity Center Kasetsart University (BDCKU), Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand.
³ Department of Forest Biology, Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University, Chatuchak, Bangkok, Thailand.

Abstract

Garcinia section Xanthochymus (Clusiaceae) is revised for Thailand with four native species, i.e., G. dulcis, G. nervosa, G. prainiana, and G. xanthochymus. All species are described with updated morphological descriptions, illustrations, and an identification key, together with notes on distributions, distribution maps, habitats and ecology, phenology, conservation assessments, etymology, vernacular names, uses, and specimens examined. Four taxa, G. andamanica, G. andamanica var. pubescens, G. cambodgiensis and G. vilersiana, are synonymized under G. dulcis, and two taxa, G. nervosa var. pubescens and G. spectabilis, are newly synonymized under G. nervosa. Nine names are lectotypified: G. dulcis and its associated synonyms (G. cambodgiensis and G. vilersiana), G. nervosa and its associated synonyms (G. andersonii, G. nervosa var. pubescens, and G. spectabilis), G. prainiana, and G. xanthochymus. All species have a conservation assessment of Least Concern (LC). The fruits of all species are edible and have a sour or sweet-sour taste.

Keywords: Dioecy; Edible fruits; Guttiferae; Lectotypification; Malpighiales; Polygamodioecy; Synonymy; Taxonomy.

MeSH terms

Clusiaceae*
Ecology
Ecosystem
Garcinia*
Thailand

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Basic Research Fund (BRF) and the International SciKU Branding (ISB), Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.