Mango 



615 



VI. MANGO 



GENUS MANGIFERA LINN^US 

 Species Mangifera indica LinricTus 



HIS tropical Asiatic evergreen tree is now cultivated in all tropical 

 countries for its fruit and has become naturalized in many places. 

 In Florida it has become established in hammocks on the peninsula 

 and on some of the Keys. It reaches a maximum height of about 21 

 meters, with a trunk diameter of 2.5 meters, often buttressed at the base. 



The branches are numerous and outspreading, forming a dense round head. 

 The bark is rather rough and gray. The twigs are slender, smooth, and of a pur- 

 phsh red tinge. The persistent leaves are alternate, thick and leathery, oblong- 

 lanceolate to lanceolate, 15 to 25 cm. long, blunt, 

 sharp or taper- pointed, tapering at the base, en- 

 tire on the margin, dark green and shining, with 

 impressed venation above, scarcely paler, smooth 

 and prominently veined beneath, the leaf-stalk 

 grooved, thickened at the base and about 2.5 cm., 

 long. The flowers are produced in large terminal 

 compound panicles, in great numbers; it is said 

 that 2100 individual flowers have been counted 

 in a single panicle; the flower stalks are densely 

 covered with yellow hairs. The calyx is 5-parted; 

 petals 5, rarely 4, inserted at the base of a 4- or 

 5-lobed disk; stamens 4 or 5, only i or 2 of which 

 bear anthers; ovar\^ i-celled with a single ascend- 

 ing ovule; style simple and curved. The fruit, 

 which is abundantly produced in pendulous clus- 

 ters, is a usually kidney-shaped drupe 10 to 12.5 

 cm. long, the skin smooth, hght green, yellow or reddish; the flesh is soft, juicy, 

 acidulous and aromatic; the large stone is covered with a coat of coarse fibers, 

 which extend into the flesh; the kernel is bean-shaped, nearly white; all portions of 

 the tree have an aromatic turpentine-like odor. 



It is largely cultivated for its fruit and many improved varieties are grown 

 that are free from the turpentinc-Hke odor and taste characteristic of the com- 

 mon or unimproved form, and almost without fiber. It is used both ripe and green, 

 fresh or cooked, and is made into pickles, jelHes, and other preparations. 



The wood is soft, rather coarse-grained and fibrous, strong and ver}' elastic, 

 brownish gray; its specific gravity is about 0.86; it is extensively used in the East 

 Indies. The bark is used as a remedy for fevers. The genus contains about 

 30 species of trees or shrubs of tropical Asia. The name is Latin, meaning 

 Mango bearing; Mango being the Hindu name of this tree, which is the type 

 of the genus. 



Fig. 566. Mango. 



