36 THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES 



1. Garcinia venulosa, Choisy. (Cambogia venulosa, Blanco.) 

 2. G. Cambogia, Desrouss. (Cambogia binucao, Blanco.) 

 Nom. Vulg. — Binukaw, Tag., applied to both trees, though 

 the first is also called Gatasan puld in Tagalo and Taklag-anak 

 in Pampango. 



Uses. — The fruit of the second species, the true name of 

 which is binucaw, is acid and edible. The fruit and the trunk 

 of both species, when cut, exude a gum-resin very much like 

 gamboge which is obtained from the G. morella or G. pedicel- 

 lata, Desr. These gum-resins, however, seem to be much 

 inferior to gamboge ; they contain an essential oil which does 

 not exist in the latter and their color is paler. 



Botanical Description. — The G. venulosa is a tree with 

 leaves opposite, lanceolate, acute, entire and glabrous, the in- 

 ferior surface covered with nervelets which converge at the 

 apex. Petioles short and flattened. Flowers tetramerous. 

 Calyx, 4 persistent sepals. Corolla, 4 petals, overlapping, 

 fleshy, ovate, of the same color as the calyx. Stamens numer- 

 ous ; no filaments ; anthers round and very small. Style very 

 short and thick, stigma peltate, divided into 10 parts. Fruit 

 globose, depressed, no well-marked ridges when ripe. 



G. Cambogia differs from the foregoing in the leaves which 

 present no nervelets on the lower surface and the fruit which 

 presents 8 angles or rounded ridges. 



Habitat. — Very common throughout the islands, abound- 

 ing in the mountains of San Mateo and Morong. Blooms in 

 August. 



Garcinia morella, Desr. 



Nom. Vulg. — I do not know the name given by the Fili- 

 pinos to this tree, which Vidal and Soler have seen in Montal- 

 van, Tiwi (Albay) and San Mateo (Province of Manila) ; but 

 it is highly important in medicine as the true gamboge is ob- 

 tained from it. Gamboge Tree, Eng. 



The Gamboge of the U. S. P. and B. P. is obtained from 





