The purple mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), colloquially known simply as mangosteen is sweet and tangy, juicy, somewhat fibrous, with fluid-filled vesicles (like the flesh of citrus fruits), with an inedible, deep reddish-purple colored rind (exocarp) when ripe. In each fruit, the fragrant edible flesh that surrounds each seed is botanically endocarp, i.e., the inner layer of the ovary. Seeds are almond-shaped and sized.

As a non-climacteric fruit, a picked mangosteen does not ripen further, so must be consumed shortly after harvest. The edible endocarp of the mangosteen has the same shape and size as a tangerine 1.6–2.4 inches in diameter, but is white. The endocarp is the white part of the fruit containing a mild flavor that makes the fruit popular for eating. When analyzed specifically for its content of essential nutrients.