Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Mangifera caesia Jack (ANACARDIACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019
Binjai

Description

Evergreen or semi-evergreen tree to 36 m tall. Leaves 12-30 cm long clustered near the end of stout twigs, thickly leathery. Flowers pale lilac or pinkish, in stout clusters. Fruits 12-19 cm long, ellipsoid drupe, ripening yellowish brown, thick-skinned, sour with strong foetid smell.

Ecology

Lowland forest by streams and in swampy areas.

Distribution

Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, Thailand.

Uses

The tree is occasionally planted in Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia, widely planted in Borneo. The sour fruits are often used as a substitute for tamarind.