Garcinia pseudoguttifera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Garcinia pseudoguttifera |
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Garcinia pseudoguttifera, known as the mo'onia tree in its native range, is a species of flowering tree in the family Clusiaceae or Guttiferae.
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Distribution
Garcinia pseudoguttifera is native to Oceania and is found in Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and the Solomon Islands.
Description
It is a small to medium-sized tree, growing from 13 feet (4 meters) to 82 feet (25 meters) in height. The crown is slender and sometimes spreading. The trunk can measure at least 11.8 inches (30 centimeters) in diameter. It is a dioecious species and has evergreen leaves, which are round and slightly ovate in shape. The fruit of the tree is pink when immature and its arils are edible. The flower bud is green before it blossoms. It grows in dense or thin forests, sometimes in beach thickets, up to 3772.9 feet (1150 meters) in elevation.
Chemistry
Four benzophenones have been isolated from Garcinia pseudoguttifera: 6-hydroxy-2,4-dimethoxy-3,5-bis(3-methyl-2-butenyl)benzophenone (myrtiaphenone-A); 2,2-dimethyl-8-benzoyl-7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)benzopyran (myrtiaphenone-B); 2,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-3,5-bis(3-methyl-2-butenyl)benzophenone (vismiaphenone-C); and a new benzophenone, 2,2-dimethyl-8-benzoyl-3,7-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-3,4-dihydrobenzopyran (pseudoguttiaphenone-A). The major component of Garcinia pseudoguttifera is eupha-8,24-dien-3β-ol.
Uses
An extract from the leaves is sometimes used as a pain reliever, and an oil from the fruit is used as a perfume. The wood is sometimes used as timber. The fruit is occasionally eaten.
