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 .
Description
Vegetative characteristics Mangifera are evergreenMangifera 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 or deciduous, laticiferous or non-laticiferous trees with smooth bark and long tap roots. The simple leaves have an entire margin.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 Generative characteristics
The conical paniculate inflorescence with a stout, thick peduncle bears numerous flowers. The anthers are dorsifixed.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] The large, fleshy, indehiscent fruit with a fibrous, woody endocarp bears one non-endospermic,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 flattened, ovoid-oblong seed.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 Cytology The chromosome count is 2n = 40.
Taxonomy The genus Mangifera was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753Linné, 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 with Mangifera indica as the type species.Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Mangifera L. Tropicos. Retrieved July 17, 2026, from https://www.tropicos.org/name/40013195 Subgenera and sections The genus Mangifera is divided into two subgenera and several sections:Kostermans, A. J. G. (2012). The mangoes: their botany, nomenclature, horticulture and utilization. Academic Press. Mangifera subg. Mangifera Mangifera sect. Marchandora Pierre Mangifera sect. Euantherae Pierre Mangifera sect. Rawa Kosterm. Mangifera sect. Mangifera Mangifera subg. Limus (Marchand) Kosterm. Species The genus Mangifera has 64 species:
Mangifera acutigemma Mangifera altissima Mangifera andamanica Mangifera applanata Mangifera austroindica Mangifera blommesteinii Mangifera bullata Mangifera caesia Mangifera caloneura Mangifera campnospermoides Mangifera camptosperma Mangifera casturi Mangifera cochinchinensis Mangifera collina Mangifera decandra Mangifera dewildei Mangifera dongnaiensis Mangifera duperreana Mangifera flava Mangifera foetida Mangifera gedebe Mangifera gracilipes Mangifera griffithii Mangifera indica Mangifera inocarpoides Mangifera khasiana Mangifera khoonmengiana Mangifera lagenifera Mangifera lalijiwa Mangifera laurina Mangifera linearifolia Mangifera longipetiolata Mangifera macrocarpa Mangifera magnifica Mangifera mariana Mangifera merrillii Mangifera minor Mangifera minutifolia Mangifera monandra Mangifera nicobarica Mangifera odorata Mangifera pajang Mangifera paludosa Mangifera parvifolia Mangifera pedicellata Mangifera pentandra Mangifera persiciforma Mangifera pseudoindica Mangifera quadrifida Mangifera reba Mangifera rigida Mangifera rufocostata Mangifera similis Mangifera subsessilifolia Mangifera sulavesiana Mangifera sumatrana Mangifera sumbawaensis Mangifera superba Mangifera swintonioides Mangifera sylvatica Mangifera timorensis Mangifera torquenda Mangifera transversalis Mangifera zeylanica
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.Mehrota, R.C., D.L. Dilcher and N. Awasthi. 1998. "A Paleocene Mangifera-like leaf fossil from India". Phytomorphology 48(1):91-100.
Formerly placed here Bouea oppositifolia (Roxb.) Meisn. (as M. oppositifolia Roxb.) Buchanania axillaris (Desr.) Ramamoorthy (as M. axillaris Desr.) Elaeodendron glaucum (Rottb.) Pers. (as M. glauca Rottb.) Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O'Rorke) Baill. (as M. gabonensis Aubry-Lecomte ex O'Rorke) Fegimanra africana (Oliv.) Pierre (as M. africana Oliv.) Spondias pinnata (L.f.) Kurz (as M. pinnata L.f.)
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. One species, Mangifera casturi , is extinct in the wild.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.
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.
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