Mangosteen

Abstract

The mangosteen is a small slow-growing tree with shiny dark green leaves. The flowers are yellow with four thick sepals and are borne at the end of young branches. The fruit is yellowish until it ripens at which stage it turns a purple red colour. It is about the same size as a tennis ball, and inside are white segments of flesh which can be separated like a tangerine. The fruit is said to be one of the finest tropical fruit and has a very distinctive slightly acid flavour.