RATA
(Garcinia dulcis)
A tree of rata
Family: Clusiaceae
Other names: Gourka, mundu
Rata is a native of the Philippines and Indonesia. Some botanists are, however of the view that it originated in Thailand. It grows all over South East Asia.
Description:
Evergreen tree, up to 13 m tall with short trunk and brown bark, latex white, turning pale brown on exposure, latex in fruits yellow; twigs thick, four-angled, usually finely hairy.
Leaves ovate to oblong-elliptic, 10-30 cm x 3.5-14 cm, pale green when young, dark green and shiny above, often hairy on underside; midrib prominent, vein lets numerous, parallel, short; petiole thick, up to 2 cm long.
Rata fruits of different stages of
development
Flowers axillary, yellow-white, with sour smell, 5-merous; male flowers in small clusters, very small, about 6 mm wide, female flowers 12 mm wide, pedicel 1.5-3 cm long, stigma 5-lobed.
Fruits globose, 5-8 cm wide, slightly pointed, often rather compressed, crowned by the persistent stigma; skin thin and soft, light yellow. Seeds 1-5, brown, about 2.5 cm long, surrounded by pale yellow pulp.
Utilization:
The fruits can be eaten fresh. Though they taste sour but are still pleasant to eat. The flesh has a butter like consistency. The fruits also make excellent jam.
In Java and Singapore pounded seeds are applied to cure swellings.
In Java the bark is used to dye mats.
Cultivation:
Rata is not cultivated as an orchard fruit but is planted in gardens as a specimen plant. It is easily propagated by seed. New plants can also be raised by air layering.
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