Guwahati: A new species of fruit-bearing tree with medicinal and ethnobotanical significance has been discovered in the forested foothills of Assam’s Baksa district, near the Manas National Park and Tiger Reserve. Named Garcinia kusumae, the species belongs to the Clusiaceae family and adds to the growing list of biodiversity treasures emerging from Northeast India.
Locally known as Thoikora, the fruit has long been used in traditional Assamese remedies and cuisine. The sun-dried pulp is preserved and used to make a sherbet with salt and sugar—a popular remedy for heat stroke and thirst during scorching summers.
It is also used in fish curries and is believed to help manage diabetes and control dysentery. The aril, slightly sour and sweet, is eaten raw—often mixed with salt, chillies, and mustard oil—making it a culturally embedded food with potential health benefits.
The discovery, published this week in Feddes Repertorium, was made by Jatindra Sarma, a retired forest officer and current Chairperson of the State Expert Appraisal Committee, and Hussain A. Barbhuiya, a scientist at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. The tree was first recorded in the Bamunbari area along the Kaldia River at an elevation of 67 metres.
Garcinia kusumae is distinguished by its vivid pinkish-orange fruits with black resinous exudates, globose shape, and creamy-yellow flowers borne in dense fascicles. While it shares some characteristics with other Indian Garcinia species—such as G. assamica, G. cowa, and G. indica—it differs markedly in its floral structure, fruit morphology, and bark exudate.
“The species was unknown to science, but not to the locals,” said Sarma. “Its traditional uses suggest pharmacological potential that deserves further research.”
So far, the species is known from a limited population scattered near Bamunbari and Nityananda, approximately 26 km south of Manas National Park. Its habitat includes riparian forests interspersed with native species like bamboo, Dalbergia, and Ehretia. As a result, G. kusumae has been provisionally assessed as “Data Deficient” under IUCN criteria.
The species has been named in memory of Sarma’s late mother, Kusum Devi, who inspired his pursuit of education and a career in conservation. “This naming is a deeply personal tribute,” he said.
The genus Garcinia comprises around 414 species globally and includes well-known fruits like kokum and mangosteen. India is home to 33 species and seven varieties, with Assam contributing 12 species and three varieties. The discovery of Garcinia kusumae reinforces the botanical richness of Northeast India—one of the world’s least explored biodiversity frontiers.
The researchers have called for intensified botanical surveys and habitat protection efforts to safeguard this unique species and others yet to be discovered. As development continues to encroach on fragile ecosystems, their findings reaffirm the urgency of conservation-led exploration in the region.
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