The origin of cultivated mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L. var. mangostana): Critical assessments and an evolutionary‐ecological perspective

Abstract

Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana var. mangostana, Clusiaceae) is often dubbed the "Queen of Fruits" (Fairchild, 1915). The fruit has gained great fame for the exquisite taste of its snow-white flesh and is widely considered to be the finest fruit of the world (Almeyda & Martin, 1976;Dahlgren, 1947). A typical mangosteen fruit consists of usually six carpels, each with a segment of pulpy flesh, which collectively constitute the endocarp. Each segment encloses an ovule, but usually only one or two develop into seeds (asexually produced) in each fruit.Mangosteen is the only Garcinia L. taxon widely cultivated at commercial scale for its fruit and has been introduced throughout the humid tropics. Southeast Asia is the major production area of