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Garcinia subelliptica Merr.
| Family Name: | Clusiaceae (Guttiferae) |
| Common Name: | Happiness Tree, Philippine Fortune Tree, Fukugi, 菲岛福木 |
Garcinia subelliptica, also known as Happiness Tree, is a tree with a compact conical crown and ornamental glossy leaves. The flowers are small, greenish cream coloured and develop into yellow fleshy fruit after pollination. In Okinawa, it is planted as both a windbreak as well as firebreak.
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Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Tree (Small (6m-15m)) |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Compact, Conical |
| Maximum Height | 15 m |
Biogeography
| Native Distribution | Philippines, Taiwan, Japan |
|---|---|
| Native Habitat | Shoreline |
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | It is a tree up to 15 m tall with strongly angled branches. It produces yellowish latex when injured. The crown is compact and conical. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | Leaves are green, glossy, leathery and in opposite arrangement. Each leaf is elliptic to suborbicular shaped (8 to 12 cm long and 5 – 10 cm wide) and the leaf margin is rolled inwards (involute). The leaf base is broadly wedge-shaped (cuneate) or rounded while the leaf tip is rounded to notched (emarginate). Each leaf has about 10 pairs of lateral veins. The leaf stalk (petiole) is robust and short, about 0.5 cm long. Young leaves are reddish bronze at first, turning yellow-green before turning dark green as they mature. |
| Flowers | Flowers are unisexual and occur as clusters on the axils. Both male and female flowers occur on the same plant (monoecious). Sometimes, the male flowers may be arranged in a pseudospike (about 1 cm long). The flowers are small, greenish cream coloured, each with 5 petals |
| Fruit | Fruit is fleshy, round (about 4.5 cm diameter) with a flattened top. It is smooth and yellow when mature, and becomes wrinkled when dried. Each fruit contain about 1 – 3 (or 4) seeds within. |
| Habitat | It is found in coastal forest. |
| Associated Fauna | Flowers are pollinated by insects. |
| Cultivation | It can be propagated by seed. |
| Etymology | Latin Garcinia, commemorating Laurent Garcin (1683 - 1751), a Franco-Swiss botanist who was one of the pioneers of the botanical exploration of Asia and made significant contribution to Nicolaas Burman’s Flora Indica. Latin subelliptica means more or less elliptic, possibly with reference to the shape of the leaf. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses | Others: In Okinawa, it is planted as both a windbreak as well as firebreak |
Landscaping Features
| Landscaping | This tree is often planted for its attractive conical form and decorative foliage. |
|---|---|
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Foliage |
| Landscape Uses | Suitable for Roadsides, Coastal |
Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
| Pollination Method(s) | Biotic (Fauna) |
|---|---|
| Seed or Spore Dispersal | Biotic (Fauna) |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade, Full Sun |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Moderate Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Well-Drained Soils, Poor Infertile Soils, Saline Soils / Salt Spray |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth, Glossy / Shiny |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Red |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Opposite |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Elliptical, Orbicular / Round) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Rounded, Emarginate |
| Foliar Base | Rounded / Obtuse, Cuneate |
| Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio | 4.0 (Tree - Dense Canopy) |
Non - Foliar and Storage
| Trunk Type (Non Palm) | Woody |
|---|---|
| Root Type | Underground |
Floral (Angiosperm)
| Flower & Plant Sexuality | Unisexual Flowers , Monoecious |
| Flower Colour(s) | Cream / Off-White, Green - Light Green |
|---|
| Flower Texture(s) | Leathery |
| Flower Location | Axillary |
| Flower Symmetry | Radial |
| Flowering Period | A Few Times Yearly |
| Flowering Habit | Polycarpic |
Fruit, Seed and Spore
| Mature Fruit Colour(s) | Orange, Yellow / Golden |
|---|---|
| Mature Fruit Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Fruit Classification | Simple Fruit |
| Fruit Type | |
| Seed Quantity Per Fruit | Few (1-5) |
References
| References | Chen, B. & Nakama, Y. (2011). Distribution of Fukugi (Garcinia subelliptica) trees as Landscaping trees in Traditional Villages in Ryukyu Islands in Japan. Pacific Agriculture and Natural Resources, Vol. 3: 14 – 22. Cook, A. (2016). Laurent Garcin, M.D. F.R.S.: A forgotten source for N. L. Burman’s Flora Indica (1768). Harvard Papers in Botany, Vol. 21 (1): 31–53. Merrill, E.D. (1908). The Philippine Species of Garcinia. In: Freer, P.C. (ed.) The Philippine Journal of Science. Vol. 3, pp. 359 - 368. Manila: The Bureau of Science of the Government of the Philippine Islands. Wu, Z., Raven, P.H. & Hong, D. (eds.) (2007). Flora of China 13: 1-548. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis). |
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Others
| Master ID | 1637 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 2930 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
