Distribution and Habitat: Throughout the Western Ghats in evergreen and lower shola forest. 

Botany: A moderate-sized handsome evergreen tree with a rounded crown and horizontal or drooping branches. 

• Leaves: Simple, opposite, dark green, elliptic-ovate, shining.
• Flowers: tetramerous, polygamous in fascicles.
• Fruits: Ovoid, yellow or red when ripe with 6-8 groves up to about the middle. Seeds 6-8, arillate.

Properties: Astringent, thermogenic, antiobesic, anti-inflammatory

Chemical constituents: -hydroxy citric acid (HCA), Camboginol, xanthones, biflavonoids etc

Uses: It is used in ulcers, inflammations, constipation, flatulent colic, hyperdipsia and haemorrhoids. 

Formulations: Astanga-lavan

Agro technology:                                                                     

Soil and climatic conditions: Loamy acidic soils with high organic matter is preferred.

Propagation: Seed , grafting

Manures and Fertilizers:  50 kg organic manure/plant/year. Apply N:P2 O5 :K2 O mixture at the rate of 20:18:50 g/plant during the first year. Double the dose in the second year and gradually increase it to 500:250:1000 g / plant / year at the 15th year.