Reinstatement of Garcinia kurzii, an endemic species from Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India and notes on its distribution, conservation and economic importance
摘要
Garcinia kurzii Pierre is a species described from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India in 1883. Recently, 14 species of Garcinia including G. kurzii were merged with G. celebica L. on account of the absence of clearcut distinguishing characters. The latest taxonomic revision of Garcinia in India had also followed the same. Our field research supplemented with the morphological, anatomical and molecular investigations suggests that G. kurzii is different and distinct from G. celebica deserving a review. Though G. kurzii is morphologically similar to G. celebica, it can be easily distinguished by its yellow-coloured latex, four chambered ovary, purple-black coloured epicarp at ripening and egg shell thin pericarp as opposed to bluish white latex, 7–8 chambered ovary, red-scarlet ripe fruit colour and comparatively thicker pericarp. Contradictory to the earlier reports, we conclude that there is no natural distribution of G. celebica in India including Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is also concluded that G. speciosa Wall., an allied species described from Myanmar, is valid, though not occurring in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The other allied species G. kingii Pierre ex Vesque has been synonymised with G. kurzii. Distribution, variability, morphological and anatomical distinction and the economic potential of G. kurzii are discussed here.