Garcinia ID

[Raulglezruiz]

While in Cuba 🇨🇺 along the Varadero Beach besides the weeds of Seagrapes all over I also noticed some of this Garcinia trees they were full of unripe fruits some of same or larger size than regular mangosteen, I picked two and put in my backpack, I thought they were seashore mangosteen but looking at them in the Internet I noticed is something else, now one of them open up to show some red pulp, any idea of what is it?

[Chandramohan]

Does it have any latex? What is the taste like? I do not think it is a Garcinia.

[sildanani]

When I saw your id, it reminded me of a photo I saved on my Pinterest board. The fruits are super cool looking! I searched for it an it looks like Clusia rosea aka Autograph tree. I believe it is in the same family as Garcinias. I've seen one at the Fruit & Spice Park (Growing by the bamboo garden? I think?). The fruits are poisonous and the trees supposedly are invasive. :/ They do have some medicinal value though.

[Raulglezruiz]

Does it have any latex? What is the taste like? I do not think it is a Garcinia.

when I cut it from the tree exude yellow latex as typical Garcinia, the leaves and tree looks like it, and the fruit itself looks for outside like a Mesta mangosteen, when the fruit opened obviously I saw it wasn't a fruit I tried little beat with my finger and it wasn't sweet..

[Raulglezruiz]

[roblack]

Looks a lot like a garcinia in ways. The leaves also look similar to clusia. Interesting for sure

[dwfl]

It's called an Autograph tree or Balsam apple. Species name is Clusia major. It's in the Clusiaceae family but is not in the Garcinia genus.

[Raulglezruiz]

It's called an Autograph tree or Balsam apple. Species name is Clusia major. It's in the Clusiaceae family but is not in the Garcinia genus.

Yes looks like you got it Derek! I'm glad I just tried a little bit of flesh as it mentioned is poisoned, nice fruit shape do I thought when I saw it having discovered a exotic kind of mangosteen relative do! 😢

[pineislander]

It's called an Autograph tree or Balsam apple. Species name is Clusia major. It's in the Clusiaceae family but is not in the Garcinia genus.

Called the 'Autograph' tree because folks scratch their names on the leaves and they last a very long time on the tree.