Mangifera indica

Mangifera indica
Conservation status
Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Anacardiaceae
Genus:	Mangifera
Species:	M. indica
Binomial name
Mangifera indica L.[2]
Synonyms[2]
Mangifera amba Forssk. Mangifera anisodora Blanco Mangifera austroyunnanensis Hu Mangifera balba Crevost & Lemarié Mangifera cambodiana (Pierre) Anon. Mangifera domestica Gaertn. Mangifera equina Crevost & Lemarié Mangifera gladiata Bojer Mangifera kukulu Blume Mangifera laxiflora Desr. Mangifera linnaei Korth. ex Hassk. Mangifera maritima Lechaume Mangifera mekongensis (Pierre) Anon. Mangifera montana B.Heyne ex Wight & Arn. Mangifera oryza Crevost & Lemarié Mangifera rostrata Blanco Mangifera rubra Bojer Mangifera sativa Roem. & Schult. Mangifera siamensis Warb. ex Craib Mangifera viridis Bojer

Mangifera indica, commonly known as mango, is a species of flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae.^[3] Mangoes are believed to have originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, and India. It is a large fruit-tree, capable of growing to a height and crown width of about 30 metres (100 ft) and trunk circumference of more than 3.7 metres (12 ft).^[3][4]

M. indica were domesticated separately in South Asia and Southeast Asia over centuries, resulting in two distinct genetic populations in modern mangoes – the "Indian type" and the "Southeast Asian type". Mangoes have since been introduced to other warm regions of the world.^[3][5][6]

The species was first described by Linnaeus in 1753.^[7] The mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, and is the national tree of Bangladesh.^[8]

Description[]

Tree[]

It is a large green tree, valued mainly for its fruits, both green and ripe.^[3] Approximately 500 varieties of mango have been reported in India.^[3] It can grow up to 15–30 metres (49–98 ft) tall. The tree grows best in well-drained sandy loam; it does not grow well in heavy wet soils. The optimal pH of the soil should be between 5.2 and 7.5.^[9]

Flowers[]

Red-yellow flowers appear at the end of winter and beginning of spring. Both male and female flowers are borne on same tree. The Climatic conditions have significant influence on the time of flowering of mango.^[3] In India, flowering starts in December in the South, in January in Bihar and Bengal, in February in eastern Uttar Pradesh, and in February–March in northern India. The duration of flowering is 20–25 days in Dashehari, while panicle emergence occurs in early December and flower opening is completed by February. The Neelum variety of mango produces two crops a year in Kanyakumari, in South India, but it flowers only once in North Indian conditions.^[10]

Fruits[]

The mango is an irregular, egg-shaped fruit which is a fleshy drupe.^[3] Mangos are typically 8–12 cm (3–5 in) long and greenish yellow in color. The fruits can be round, oval, heart, or kidney shaped.^[3] Mango fruits are green when they are unripe. The interior flesh is bright orange and soft with a large, flat pit in the middle.^[11] Mangos are mature in April and May. Raw mangos can be used in the making of pickles and chutneys. Ripe mangos are a popular fruit throughout the world. The skin and pulp account for 85% of the mango's weight, and the remaining 15% comes from the stone (seed).^[12]

Chemical constituents[]

Mangiferin (a pharmacologically active hydroxylated xanthone C-glycoside) is extracted from mango at high concentrations from the young leaves (172 g/kg), bark (107 g/kg), and from old leaves (94 g/kg).^[13] Allergenic urushiols are present in the fruit peel and can trigger contact dermatitis in sensitised individuals. This reaction is more likely to occur in people who have been exposed to other plants from the family Anacardiaceae, such as poison oak and poison ivy, which are widespread in the United States.^[14]

Wood[]

The tree is more known for its fruit rather than for its timber. However, mango trees can be converted to lumber once their fruit-bearing lifespan has finished. The wood is susceptible to damage from fungi and insects.^[15] The wood is used for musical instruments such as ukuleles,^[15] plywood and low-cost furniture.^[16] The wood is also known to produce phenolic substances that can cause contact dermatitis.^[17]

Gallery[]

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  Young mango tree

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  Mature mango tree

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  Tree with unripe fruits

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  Mango flowers

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  Typical South Asian mangoes

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  Typical Southeast Asian mangoes

Mango varieties[]

• Main article: List of mango cultivars

References[]

Further reading[]

• Litz, Richard E. (ed. 2009). The Mango: Botany, Production and Uses (2nd edition). CABI. ISBN 978-1-84593-489-7

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mangifera indica.

Wikispecies has information related to Mangifera indica.

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Mango

• Crop of the Day: Mango, Mangifera indica has a list of helpful resources about this species.