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-onak 

 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- 

 lota, 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. YULG. I do not know the name given by the Fili- 

 pinos to this tree, which Yidal 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 



