The mango is a globally celebrated tropical fruit, appreciated for its sweet, vibrant flavor and juicy texture, making it one of the most widely consumed fruits in the world. To fully understand the mango, it is necessary to examine its place within the scientific classification of the plant kingdom. This botanical perspective reveals its exact family lineage and some surprising relatives.
The Mango’s Scientific Family
The mango belongs to the Anacardiaceae family, formally known as the sumac or cashew family. This classification places the mango alongside approximately 83 genera and 860 known species of trees and shrubs, all linked by shared ancestry and specific botanical traits. Taxonomically, the fruit tree is classified as Mangifera indica, with the Mangifera genus containing numerous other tropical fruiting trees. Common traits of the Anacardiaceae include a resinous or milky sap, inconspicuous flowers, and a fruit that typically develops into a drupe. The family is predominantly found in warm, tropical, and subtropical regions across the globe.
Unexpected Relatives in the Family
The Anacardiaceae family includes several other plants, some commercially significant and others known for irritating properties. Edible members include the cashew (Anacardium occidentale) and the pistachio (Pistacia vera). The cashew is a close relative, with its nut developing from a structure attached to a fleshy, edible accessory fruit known as the cashew apple.
The family also includes irritants such as poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac, which belong to the genus Toxicodendron. This contrast is linked by the chemical compound urushiol, an oily mixture found in the sap of many Anacardiaceae members that causes allergic contact dermatitis. Urushiol is present in the sap of the mango tree and the shell of the raw cashew nut. Cashews must be carefully processed, typically by roasting, to destroy the shell’s urushiol before the edible nut is safe for consumption.
Mango Structure and Origin
Botanically, the mango fruit is classified as a drupe, a simple fleshy fruit that develops from a single ovary and contains a single seed encased in a hard, protective layer. Other familiar examples of drupes include peaches, cherries, and olives. The structure of the mango fruit is composed of three distinct layers derived from the ovary wall: the exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp.
The exocarp is the thin, outer peel, while the mesocarp is the thick, fleshy, and edible part that is consumed. The innermost layer is the endocarp, the hard, stony pit that surrounds the single seed. This dense endocarp protects the seed and aids in its dispersal after the fruit is eaten.
The species Mangifera indica is considered indigenous to the region of southern Asia, specifically within the area extending from eastern India through Myanmar and into Southeast Asia. Historical cultivation of the fruit dates back over 5,000 years in this region. From its Asian origins, the mango was gradually introduced to other tropical areas globally, with its spread accelerating through trade routes, eventually reaching Africa and the Americas.