Tamala - Garcinia xanthochymus
By the authority of Ayurvedacharya Shibkali Bhattacharya it is
stated that
Tamala is Garcinia xanthochymus = G. tinctoria
Scrupulous study of all related species viz. Cinnamomum tamala,
Garcinia xanthochymus; G. Morella ; G. hanburyi; G. indica was made.
English names : Mysore gamboge , sour mangosteen , false mangosteen,
Yellow mangosteen,
Distribution : Bangladesh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala,
Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Nepal.
Hindi names : Jharambi, Tamal, Tumul
There are ten Sanskrit names inclusive of Tamala, Vamala
S. B. has given the medicinal uses of its fruit, bark, twigs, leaves,
and seeds. His meticulous description tallies with the images
obtainable from
_
http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/gamboges_pictures
Its leaves distinct from those of tejpata well-shown in
http://www.henriettesherbal.com/pictures/p06/pages/garcinia-xanthochy
Further GRIN Images have given the fruit and the whole tree. Cf. TARS
4823
A very erudite review was sent by Pankaj Oudhiya. It seems Tamala
includes many things including tobacco leaves. Good Gracious ! He
also hinted at commercial exploitation of information. I am an
academic person. My interest is purely academic. A famous song of
Tagore has " Tala Tamala aranye " Similar reverberation we get in
Kalidasa "tamala tala". Hardly anyone bothers to know what tamala is.
Finding nobody could satisfy I put it to Garg ji. This problem has
led me to put in my profile. Also received an amateur comment from
Koshyk who enjoys jackfruit cakes (Kumble appam ) made with tejpata.
(C. tamala) Similarly Mumbaikars enjoy Kokum (G. indica} juice
obtained from Ratnagiri. That does not mean either of them is tamala.