Egg Mango, Padi Mango, Water Mango and mangga

Egg Mango/Egg Mango scientifically known as Mangifera laurina is a species of flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae. The plant is native to Myanmar, Indochina (Kampuchea, Vietnam), and Malesia, from peninsular Thailand to New Guinea. The tree is found both wild and cultivated in Southeast Asia, where the fruit is widely valued and consumed. It is being used less frequently, however, with the introduction of the related mango (Mangifera indica) which is generally considered to have a superior fruit. Egg Mango, Padi Mango, Water Mango and mangga aer are a few of the well-known health benefits of Mangifera laurina. It is commonly known as mangga kopyor, mangga pari in Indonesian. The name of the genus comes from the combination of one of the local names of the fruit, “manga”, with the Latin verb “fero” which means I carry. The Latin name of the species, “laurina” = similar to the bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), refers to the appearance of the leaf.

Egg Mango Facts

Plant Description

Mangifera laurina is a medium-sized, evergreen, erect tree with a massive, globose crown; which normally grows about 20–30 m tall. The bole can be 80 – 100 cm in diameter with a rough, greyish trunk. The plant is found growing in lowland evergreen forests and lowland tropical rain forests. The Bark surface of the tree is longitudinally cracked, peeling off in small, narrow strips, pinkish-brown to blackish. Leaves are borne on slender, 2.5–5.5 cm long petiole that is grooved above and inflated at the base. Lamina is oblong-lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate, 15–26 cm long and 4–6 cm wide, leathery, glabrous, base cuneate to broadly cuneate, margin entire and slightly undulate, apex acuminate or caudate-acuminate, lateral veins prominent on both sides. It is glossy green on the upper page, dark green on the inferior side.

Flower

The inflorescence is paniculate, sub-terminal to the terminal, 40 cm long, with slender primary branches; pedicels are about 1.5 mm long, sparsely pubescent to subglabrous, lax, and loosely flowered. Flowers are whitish-green to pale yellow, pentamerous, small, and fragrant on the long pedicel. The calyx is 5-lobed with acute? sepals. Petals are 5 and are linear-oblong. About 5 stamens are present but only 1 is fertile and the rest are staminodes. The ovary is ovoid to sub globose and style subterminal.

Fruits

Fertile flowers are followed by an ovoid or kidney-shaped drupe-like small mango, 5–7 cm long and 4 cm thick, not beaked. Fruits are initially green turning to medium green turning greenish-yellow to yellow at maturity. The flesh is intensely yellow, juicy, very acid, and is fibrous. Stone is found on the center of the fruits that is large about 4–5 cm long and 2–3 cm wide. Seed is oval and is often polyembryonic.

History

Wild distribution of this species is found in Myanmar, Indochina (Kampuchea, Vietnam), and Malesia, from peninsular Thailand to New Guinea, in lowland tropical rainforest. It was probably brought into cultivation long before the introduction of Mangifera indica L. in the region. In most parts of Borneo, it is still widely cultivated, but it is now losing ground in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java since the fruit is inferior to that of M. indica cultivars. It was probably introduced into the Philippines.

Culinary Uses

• Mature, ripe, and unripe fruit are edible.
• The ripe fruit is very acidic and has been processed into drinks with sugar or honey.
• More often the fruit is harvested immature, sliced, and served in fruit salads with a spicy sauce.
• Mature, unripe fruits are halved or sliced for use in pickles and chutney.
• The slices are also dried and salted as preserves and consumed as snacks.

Other facts

• Seeds being polyembryonic are used often as rootstocks for the common mango, Mangifera indica in Malaysia.
• The wood is used as matching.
• The heartwood is reported to be grayish to pale red but also chocolate brown.

References