Mangifera. pentandria monogynta: 437 



the upper ones gradually ascending till they become nearly erect in the 

 centre. — Leaves alternate, petioledj about the extremities of the young 

 shoots, approximated, reclined, lauceolar, entire, often a little waved 

 at the margins, firm, smooth, shining ; generally from six to twelve 

 inches long, and from two to three broad. — Petiols round, smooth, 

 from one to two inches long, thickish at the base. — Stipules none. — ■ 

 Panicles terminal, large, erect, or ascending, rigid, a little downy, often 

 tinged with red. — Pedicels short, thick, rigid. — Bractes oval, concave, 

 a little downy. — Flowers small, yellow, with some stripes of red near 

 the base of the petals, many perfect male flowers are often found mixed 

 with the hermaphrodite ones throughout the panicle. — Calyx five-leaV- 

 ed ; leajftets oblong, concave. — Petals five, lanceolate, spreading, twice 

 the length of the calyx. — Nectary five, large, yellow, fleshy bodies 

 surrounding the base of the germ, forming as it were, an excavated, 

 five-lobed receptacle for it to sit in, each of the lobes as large as the 

 germ itself. — Filament single, subulate, ascending, half the length of 

 the petals, inserted between the lower lobe of the nectary and the germ. 

 Anther oval, purple. Besides these there are generally two, three, 

 four, or more, very minute, sterile filament-like bodies, issuing from 

 the apices of the lobes of the nectary. — Germ obliquely oval, one- 

 celled, and containing a single ovulum, attached to the side of the cell, 

 opposite to the fertile stamen, and under the style. — Style from the 

 side of the germ, length of the stamen, subulate, declining, so as to 

 bring the stigma which is small, and incurved nearly to touch the 

 anther. — Drupe obliquely oblong, or kidney-formed, also a little com- 

 pressed like a kidney, fleshy, smooth, when ripe yellow, size various, 

 but in general about as large as a goose egg. — Nut conform to the 

 drupe, but more compressed, woody, one-ceiled, two-valved, covered 

 on the outside with many fibrous filaments, particularly on the worst 

 sorts. 



It is by no means necessary for me to mention that the ripe fruit 

 of this tree, (when of a good sort,) is universally eaten, and esteemed 

 the best fruit in India. Jellies, preserves, tart=, pickles, &c. are made 

 of them before ripe. 



