Kudampuli variety · Botanical species variant
Garcinia xanthochymus
Also known as Yellow Mangosteen, Tepor-tenga, False Mangosteen, Mysore Gamboge; Beenekepulli (Coorg), Tepor-tenga (Assam), Pinampuli (Kerala)
Northeast India (Assam, Meghalaya), Western Ghats, Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia) · Wild and semi-cultivated populations; minor farmer cultivation in Assam, Meghalaya · Not formally released; wild collection and traditional use extending back centuries
Closest botanical relative to Kudampuli within India; distributed across both Western Ghats and Northeast. Bright yellow-orange, round, large fruit (5–8.9 cm diameter) with distinctive beak. Acidic and astringent; used in curries, pickles, folk medicine (dysentery treatment) in Northeast and Konkan regions. Lesser-known commercial potential compared to Kudampuli or Kokum but gaining research interest for nutraceutical content.
Key facts
| Type | Botanical species variant |
|---|---|
| Origin | Northeast India (Assam, Meghalaya), Western Ghats, Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia) |
| Breeder / source | Wild and semi-cultivated populations; minor farmer cultivation in Assam, Meghalaya |
| Year released | Not formally released; wild collection and traditional use extending back centuries |
| Parentage | Wild-sourced; no formal breeding programs documented |
| Yield | No systematic yield data; wild and semi-cultivated trees highly variable |
| Tolerance | Naturally adapted to 100–1400 m elevation, monsoon tropics and subtropics. Distributed in humid forests with high annual rainfall. Specific pest/disease data limited. |
| Distinctive features | Bright yellow-orange fruit, round with beak, 5–8.9 cm diameter, high acidity, astringent flesh, thick rind, moderate seed size, aromatic when ripe |
| Grown in | Northeast India (Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland) and scattered Western Ghats populations; altitude 0–1400 m, highest in foothill moist forests |
| Also known as | Yellow Mangosteen, Tepor-tenga, False Mangosteen, Mysore Gamboge; Beenekepulli (Coorg), Tepor-tenga (Assam), Pinampuli (Kerala) |
Figures are indicative, compiled from public agricultural sources (ICAR institutes, State Agricultural Universities, the Spices Board and the National Innovation Foundation) and vary with soil, season and management. Confirm with your local package of practices.
Garcinia xanthochymus in detail
Yellow mangosteen grows wild and semi-cultivated across the Western Ghats and Northeast India, producing bright acidic fruit valued for fish curries, pickles, and traditional medicine.
Origin & story
Native to India and neighbouring regions of Southeast Asia, with distinct regional names reflecting long local use: tepor-tenga in Assam, beenekepulli in Coorg, pinampuli in Kerala. Traditional knowledge of the fruit runs deep in Northeast folk medicine and Konkan coastal cooking, though formal agricultural development is recent.
How it grows
Thrives in humid tropical and subtropical climates, growing from near sea level up to around 1400 m in well-drained soil. Trees reach about 8 to 15 m and typically begin fruiting seven to eight years from seed. A mature tree (around 15 years old) can yield roughly 20 to 30 kg of fruit a year. Most planting is still from seed, with grafting being explored to shorten the time to bearing.
Quality & character
Round to sub-globular fruit, bright yellow-orange when ripe (green when unripe), 5 to 8.9 cm in diameter, with a distinctive blunt beak. The flesh is highly acidic and astringent and the rind is thick. Each fruit usually contains one to five seeds. The fruit contains xanthones, flavonoids and related phenolic compounds; studies have isolated prenylated xanthones from the bark with antioxidant (DPPH radical-scavenging) activity.
Why it matters to buyers
Mainly valued as a souring agent in fish curries along the Konkan and Malabar coasts, where the dried rind stands in for tamarind; it is also made into pickles, chutneys and jams. Market value is around Rs 400 to 500 per kg, varying by region and season. There is growing research interest in its bioactive compounds (xanthones) for nutraceutical applications. It remains largely semi-wild with limited commercial plantations, leaving room for more organised cultivation in India's humid tropics.
About kudampuli
Kudampuli—the pungent dried fruit rind of Garcinia gummi-gutta—dominates Kerala kitchens and spice markets, but the plant itself remains largely a wild harvest of seedling landraces scattered across the Western Ghats. Unlike black pepper or cardamom, formal improved releases are sparse; most cultivation relies on farmer-selected trees and regional types…
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