MANGOSTEEN

Mangosteen is indigenous to this part of the world. Although it is believed to have been in cultivation for centuries there are no distinct varieties. It is one of the slowest-growing trees and attains about 6-13 meters tall. It takes from seed about 15 years to fruit. Unlike most other fruits, the cultivated mangos teen reproduces by parthenogenesis, the fruit is produced without fertilization. The fruits are round but slightly flattened at each end. Each fruit has a smooth, thick, firm rind which is pale green at first and ripening to rich purple or red-purple in color. The apex is crowned with 5-8 flat woody lobes. A good mangos teen measures some 6-71/2 cm in diameter. Enclosed in the rind are 5-8 fleshy segments which are snowy-white or ivory in color. The number of segments corresponds to the number of woody lobes at the apex of the rind. The flavor of the flesh or pulp is slightly acid and delicious. Mangos teen trees are very commonly grown throughout Malaysia. The fruiting seasons generally follow those of the durian and rambutan.