Mangifera
Description
Trees.
Leaves spiral, simple, entire, glabrous, petioled.
Inflorescences paniculate, terminal andfor axillary, often crowded at the apex of twigs, sometimes seemingly fasciculate.
Flowers ♂ or bisexual on the same plant (plants andromonoecious);
Petals 4 or 5, imbricate, rarely contorted, glabrous outside, often with excrescences from the glands thickened into ridges on the inner surface, free (except in M. superba where they are partly adnate to the disk).
Stamens usually 5, rarely 10(-12, extra-Mal.), usually 1-2 fertile, the others much shorter and smaller (with imperfect or sterile anthers) or filamentous, very rarely 3-5, or all 5 fertile;
Ovary 1-celled, glabrous, abortive in ♂;
Seed with testa (1 or 2 layers) free from the endocarp, in a few species labyrinthine (testa present in the crevices of lobes or folds of cotyledons);
Distribution
Asia-Temperate: China South-Central (Yunnan present), Asia-Tropical: India present; Thailand (Thailand present), Burma present, Ceylon present, Solomons present
About 35 spp., in Ceylon, India, Burma, Thailand, Indo-China, and China (Yunnan); throughout Malesia to the Solomons. .
One species, M. indica, the mango, is widely cultivated in the tropics; several others are cultivated locally in Malesia in villages, and may have naturalized beyond their proper native range, so that it is for some species almost impossible to indicate their proper place of origin. The polymorphous M. odorata may be a hybrid swarm, originated from hybridization of M. foetida and M. indica.
One species, M. indica, the mango, is widely cultivated in the tropics; several others are cultivated locally in Malesia in villages, and may have naturalized beyond their proper native range, so that it is for some species almost impossible to indicate their proper place of origin. The polymorphous M. odorata may be a hybrid swarm, originated from hybridization of M. foetida and M. indica.
Morphology
So far known the seeds of three species are labyrinthine: the testa of these labyrinth seeds fills the crevices between the transverse folds and lobes of the cotyledons which closely adhere together. See . Labyrinth seeds occur in M. camptosperma PIERRE (Indo-China), M. gedebe (Sumatra, W. Java, Borneo), and M. inocarpoides (New Guinea). Cf. .
In M. pajang the cotyledons are unequal, one partly embracing the other. .
In several Mangifera spp. the leaves have fibers which show upon breaking dried leaves, e.g. M. caesia, M. decandra, M. lagenifera, and M. superba.
In M. pajang the cotyledons are unequal, one partly embracing the other. .
In several Mangifera spp. the leaves have fibers which show upon breaking dried leaves, e.g. M. caesia, M. decandra, M. lagenifera, and M. superba.
Taxonomy
In my precursor () I have discussed the subdivision of the genus and concluded that the species can be arranged into two sections.
Poly-embryony of mango. The seed of mango, M. indica, contains usually only one embryo (mono-embryonic), sometimes more than one (poly-embryonic). In the latter type one seed frequently produces 6-8 seedlings and sometimes as many as 30 have been observed. The extra embryos are adventitious and originate either from the nucellus or by budding from the cotyledons or the hypocotyl. It: has been reported that poly-embryonic stocks induce more scion vigour than the mono-embryonic ones and poly-embryonic seedlings transmit their characters to their offspring in a remarkable degree. Poly-embryonic cultivars are reported growing in Burma, Java, Malay Peninsula, the Philippines, Florida, Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and South Africa. Cf.
Poly-embryony of mango. The seed of mango, M. indica, contains usually only one embryo (mono-embryonic), sometimes more than one (poly-embryonic). In the latter type one seed frequently produces 6-8 seedlings and sometimes as many as 30 have been observed. The extra embryos are adventitious and originate either from the nucellus or by budding from the cotyledons or the hypocotyl. It: has been reported that poly-embryonic stocks induce more scion vigour than the mono-embryonic ones and poly-embryonic seedlings transmit their characters to their offspring in a remarkable degree. Poly-embryonic cultivars are reported growing in Burma, Java, Malay Peninsula, the Philippines, Florida, Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and South Africa. Cf.
Uses
One species of Mangifera, M. indica, is widely cultivated in the tropics for the popular fruit commonly called 'mango'; it has many cultivars. Besides the Indian mango, M. foetida, M. caesia, and M. odorata are in Malesia often planted for edible fruits or just as village trees; some other species are cultivated locally, e.g. M. griffithii, M. lagenifera, M. longipes, M. minor, M. pajang, M. similis, etc.
M. pajang, described by KOSTERMANS () from Borneo, has globose to ellipsoid fruits c. 15 cm Ø (often more), with yellowish white, sweet-acid pulp. According to him, it "is a well-known cultivated and wild one, related to Mangifera foetidcT. The thick rind of the fruit can be peeled off like a banana when eaten. So far known the fruits "are the largest of the genus Mangifera and may reach dimensions of a small coconut". This species deserves special mention here for future experimental breeding in order to improve the quality of the fruit.
The ripe fruits of M. indica and some other species are eaten raw. They are also used for making jams, jellies, and preserves. Unripe fruits are used for making pickles, chutneys, vinegar, etc. and sometimes are sliced and sun-dried for grinding into powder or making other preparations.
In Mangifera the rind of unripe fruits and sometimes also some other parts of the trees may contain irritant sap and may cause inflammation when touched by susceptible persons. Because of the irritant sap the young fruits of M. foetida and M. odorata are not eaten by the people. The sap of the barks, even the vapour of freshly bruised tissues, the smoke from a bonfire of their leaves or raindrops from the crown of the following species may affect the skin: M. caesia, M. foetida, M. lagenifera, and M. odorata; cf. .
In Java the young leaves of some races of M. indica are used as vegetable with the rice.
Trees of some Mangifera spp. can attain a large size, e.g. M. caesia, M. foetida, M. pajang, M. similis, etc. The timber is used in many ways, e.g. for boards, doors, boxes, planking, etc., but it is not durable.
For more details on uses see .
M. pajang, described by KOSTERMANS () from Borneo, has globose to ellipsoid fruits c. 15 cm Ø (often more), with yellowish white, sweet-acid pulp. According to him, it "is a well-known cultivated and wild one, related to Mangifera foetidcT. The thick rind of the fruit can be peeled off like a banana when eaten. So far known the fruits "are the largest of the genus Mangifera and may reach dimensions of a small coconut". This species deserves special mention here for future experimental breeding in order to improve the quality of the fruit.
The ripe fruits of M. indica and some other species are eaten raw. They are also used for making jams, jellies, and preserves. Unripe fruits are used for making pickles, chutneys, vinegar, etc. and sometimes are sliced and sun-dried for grinding into powder or making other preparations.
In Mangifera the rind of unripe fruits and sometimes also some other parts of the trees may contain irritant sap and may cause inflammation when touched by susceptible persons. Because of the irritant sap the young fruits of M. foetida and M. odorata are not eaten by the people. The sap of the barks, even the vapour of freshly bruised tissues, the smoke from a bonfire of their leaves or raindrops from the crown of the following species may affect the skin: M. caesia, M. foetida, M. lagenifera, and M. odorata; cf. .
In Java the young leaves of some races of M. indica are used as vegetable with the rice.
Trees of some Mangifera spp. can attain a large size, e.g. M. caesia, M. foetida, M. pajang, M. similis, etc. The timber is used in many ways, e.g. for boards, doors, boxes, planking, etc., but it is not durable.
For more details on uses see .
Notes
Unfortunately the fruit of several species is inadequately known, so no separate key can be provided for fruiting material. Its characters are of different sources, sometimes on dried fruit in the herbarium, sometimes derived from material in liquid, data of field notes, or literature. In this genus it is mostly impossible to identify single fruits or sterile material. Also collections made of fallen fruits combined with twigs from the lower branches may be deceptive, as leaves vary considerably on a single tree; see the note under M. griffithii.
In collecting fruiting material it is useful to make notes on colour, smell, size, etc., to section the fruit in various directions and to make notes on the structure of the embryo, and add slices c. 1 cm thick to the herbarium material.
In collecting fruiting material it is useful to make notes on colour, smell, size, etc., to section the fruit in various directions and to make notes on the structure of the embryo, and add slices c. 1 cm thick to the herbarium material.
Citation
LINNE 1753: Sp. Pl: 200
Corner 1940: Ways. Trees: 106
DING HOU 1978 – In: Blumea: 21
PIERRE 1897: Fl. For. Coch.: sub expl. t. 364 & 365
HOOK. f 1862 – In: B. & H., Gen. Pl. 1: 420
MUKHERJI 1949 – In: Lloydia: 77
Engl. 1883 – In: DC., Mon. Phan. 4: 195
Hook.f. 1876 – In: Fl. Br. Ind.: 13
MARCH. 1869: Rév. Anacard.: 102 & 188