New Garcinia Species Discovered in Assam Named in Honour of Botanist’s Mother

A new Garcinia tree species, Garcinia kusumae, has been discovered in Bamunbari, Assam, by botanist Jatindra Sarma, who named it after his late mother Kusum Devi. Published in Feddes Repertorium, the discovery highlights Sarma’s fourth tribute to a family member through plant naming. The tree, locally called thoikora, grows up to 18 metres and bears flowers from February to April. Its unique features include 15 staminate flowers per fascicle and resinous berries. The fruit is culturally and medicinally significant, used in sherbets, fish curries, and traditional treatments for diabetes and dysentery, and is often consumed raw with spices.