Mangifera

Mangifera
Temporal range: Upper Paleocene–Recent
M. indica fruits
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Anacardiaceae
Subfamily: Anacardioideae
Genus: Mangifera
L.
Type species
Mangifera indica L.
Synonyms
  • Mangas Adans.
  • Phanrangia Tardieu

Mangifera is a genus of flowering plants in the family Anacardiaceae. It contains 64 species, with the best-known being the common mango (Mangifera indica). The center of diversity of the genus is in the Malesian ecoregion of Southeast Asia, particularly in Sumatra, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula. They are generally canopy trees in lowland rainforests, reaching a height of 30–40 m (98–131 ft).

Description

Mangifera indica tree
Bark of Mangifera quadrifida

Vegetative characteristics

Mangifera are evergreen or deciduous, laticiferous or non-laticiferous trees with smooth bark and long tap roots.: 5–10  The simple leaves have an entire margin.

Generative characteristics

Flowering Mangifera zeylanica

The conical paniculate inflorescence with a stout, thick peduncle bears numerous flowers.: 5–10  The anthers are dorsifixed. The large, fleshy, indehiscent fruit with a fibrous, woody endocarp bears one non-endospermic, flattened, ovoid-oblong seed.

Cytology

The chromosome count is 2n = 40.: 10 

Taxonomy

The genus Mangifera L. was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 with Mangifera indica L. as the type species.

Subgenera and sections

The genus Mangifera is divided into two subgenera and several sections:: 27–28 

Species

The genus Mangifera has 64 species:

Fossil record

The earliest fossil species thought to be related to Mangifera is Eomangiferophyllum damalgiriense from the upper Paleocene in northeastern India. Leaves have also been reported from the Paleocene of Japan and the Eocene of Germany, though these have been considered questionable. Leaf fossils confidently assignable to Mangifera have been collected from Oligocene or early Miocene sediments in northern Thailand.

Formerly placed here

Ecology

Flies are important pollinators of Mangifera flowers and the flowers are visited by numerous species of flies, wasps, bees, beetles, ants, and butterflies.

Conservation

Most Mangifera species occur as single individuals over wide areas, but are not considered rare.: 15–16  One species, Mangifera casturi , is extinct in the wild.

Uses

Mangifera species are widely cultivated in Asia and elsewhere. More than 27 species in the genus bear edible, fleshy fruits, especially the common mango (M. indica). Others, such as M. foetida, yield astringent fruits that can be eaten pickled. Mango residue, such as the seed kernel and peel, have functional and nutritional potential.

References

  1. 1 2 Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Mangifera L. Tropicos. Retrieved July 17, 2026, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/40013195
  2. 1 2 3 Mangifera L. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved July 17, 2026, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1848-1
  3. ↑ Kuhn, David N.; Dillon, Natalie; Bally, Ian; Groh, Amy; Rahaman, Jordon; Warschefsky, Emily; Freeman, Barbie; Innes, David; Chambers, Alan H. (June 2019). "Estimation of genetic diversity and relatedness in a mango germplasm collection using SNP markers and a simplified visual analysis method". Scientia Horticulturae. 252: 156–168. Bibcode:2019ScHor.252..156K. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2019.03.037. S2CID 132739368.
  4. ↑ "Mangifera indica". Invasive Species Compendium. CABI. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  5. ↑ Litz, Richard E.; Miguel A. Gómez-Lim (2005). "Mangifera indica Mango". In Richard E. Litz (ed.). Biotechnology of Fruit and Nut Crops. CABI. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-0-85199-662-2.
  6. ↑ Mangifera in Flora of China @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2026, from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=119606
  7. 1 2 3 Western Australian Herbarium & Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. (n.d.). Mangifera L. Florabase—the Western Australian Flora. Retrieved July 18, 2026, from https://florabase.dbca.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/21713
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Kostermans, A. J. G. (2012). The mangoes: their botany, nomenclature, horticulture and utilization. Academic Press.
  9. 1 2 Mangifera in Flora of Pakistan @ efloras.org. (n.d.). Retrieved July 18, 2026, from http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=119606
  10. 1 2 3 L.W. Jessup. Mangifera, in P.G. Kodela (ed.), Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Mangifera [Date Accessed: 18 July 2026]
  11. ↑ Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wightman, N., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2026). Flora of Zambia: Cultivated plants: Genus page: Mangifera. https://www.zambiaflora.com/cult/genus.php?genus_id=878, retrieved 18 July 2026
  12. ↑ Linné, Carl von, & Salvius, Lars. (1753). Caroli Linnaei ... Species plantarum :exhibentes plantas rite cognitas, ad genera relatas, cum differentiis specificis, nominibus trivialibus, synonymis selectis, locis natalibus, secundum systema sexuale digestas... (Vol. 1, p. 200). Impensis Laurentii Salvii. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358219
  13. ↑ Prakart Sawangchote; Paul J. Grote; David L. Dilcher (2009). "Tertiary leaf fossils of Mangifera (Anacardiaceae) from Li Basin, Thailand as examples of the utility of leaf marginal venation characters". American Journal of Botany. 96 (11): 2048–2061. doi:10.3732/ajb.0900086. PMID 21622324.
  14. ↑ Mehrota, R.C., D.L. Dilcher and N. Awasthi. 1998. "A Paleocene Mangifera-like leaf fossil from India". Phytomorphology 48(1):91-100.
  15. ↑ "Buchanania axillaris (Desr.) Ramamoorthy". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  16. ↑ "Fegimanra africana (Oliv.) Pierre". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  17. ↑ "Spondias pinnata L.f." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  18. ↑ Rhodes, L. & Maxted, N. 2016. Mangifera casturi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T32059A61526819. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T32059A61526819.en. Accessed on 17 July 2026.
  19. ↑ Litz, Richard E. (2009). The Mango: Botany, Production and Uses (2nd ed.). CABI. pp. 5–8. ISBN 978-1-84593-489-7.
  20. ↑ Torres-León, Cristian; Rojas, Romeo; Serna, Liliana; Contreras, Juan; Aguilar, Cristobal (2016). "Mango seed: Functional and nutritional properties". Trends in Food Science & Technology. 55: 109–117. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2016.06.009. S2CID 89179753.
  21. ↑ Serna, Liliana; García-Gonzales, Estefanía; Torres-León, Cristian (2016). "Agro-industrial potential of the mango peel based on its nutritional and functional properties". Food Reviews International. 32 (4): 364–376. doi:10.1080/87559129.2015.1094815. S2CID 87396909.