Clusiaceae

Opposite, thick leathery leaves that ooze yellow or milky latex when torn; flowers with thick, waxy petals ripen into a berry crowned by a persistent, often star-shaped stigma disc — the mark that shows how many segments a mangosteen holds inside.

Yellow resinous latex runs throughout the family and has long been used medicinally; in Garcinia it accompanies the sour rind prized in cooking.

To check whether a plant belongs to Clusiaceae, compare the leaf arrangement, leaf type, flower symmetry, fruit type, and one distinctive marker together. A single feature can mislead; the family pattern is the combination.