gamboge

Any of several species of trees of the genus Garcinia found in South and Southeastern Asia, especially Garcinia xanthochymus.

Clusiaceæ, or Guttiferæ, a natural order of trees or shrubs belonging to the Dicotyledons (division Thalamifloræ), natives of the humid tropics of S. America. [...] Most of the plants have acrid properties, and yield a yellow resin. Among the chief and common plants of the order are Gambooge (q.v.), Mangosteen fruit (Garcinia Mangostana), [...]

The resin of the gamboge tree; a preparation of the resin used as a pigment or for medicinal purposes.

Gamboge is one of the firſt yellows, which may be made to produce five or six ſorts of Green with verdegreaſe, according as the gambooge is in the greater or leſſer proportion; if it abounds, it will make a tolerable oak green, and being mixt with a greater quantity of verdegreaſe, it will make a fine graſs Green.

Concerning the Tree which yields the Gamboge, By Profeſſor J[ames] A. Murray. [...] The tree which yields the true gamboge is, by the natives on the coaſt of Coromandel, called Gokathu, and Bokathu; by Dr. König, it is name Guttæfera vera, and Arbor polygama fructu ceraſiformi eduli. [...] This tree grows in Siam and Ceylon: in the months of June and July, the natives break off ſome of the leaves and young ſhoots, and a yellow juice drops from the wound, of the conſiſtence of cream, which is collected in cocoa-nut ſhells, and afterwards dried by the ſun.

A deep yellow colour.

I have always heard, and red, that Nature is one of the chief beauties of poetry; and lo! behold an example!—for I merely turned into rhyme the pitiful ravings of two love-lorn maids, most tenderly sensible to the charms of a pair of black moustachios relieved with deep gamboges.

My attention was fixed for the moment on two fair Hellenes; then on an elderly female with black head-dress fringed with gambooge, and a smart lassie in a hat, with nez retroussé and sprightly eyes.

Of a deep yellow colour.

The cab stopped, and out jumped a man in a coarse Petersham great coat, whitey-brown neckerchief, faded black suit, gambooge-coloured top-boots, and one of those large crowned hats, formerly seldom met with, but now very generally patronised by gentlemen and costermongers.

Beg your pardon, Sir, but this here officer o' yourn in the gambooge tops, 'ull never earn a decent livin' as a master o' the ceremonies any vere.