Those are impressive trees. In height, they reach 15-20 m (50-60 ft). In output, a tree can produce up to 500 mangoes. The simple leaves are lanceolate, up to 30 cm (12 inches) long. The flowers—small, pinkish, and fragrant—are borne in large terminal loose clusters. Some have both stamens and pistils, while others bear stamens only.
Mango leaves are alternate. The flowers are very small and grouped by the hundreds in inflorescences. They are hermaphroditic or male and are pollinated mainly by flies, thrips (miniscule insects) and bees.
Attached to a long stalk, the fleshy fruit is an oblong drupe. Its size depends on the variety: it can measure 20 to 45 cm (0.7-1.5 ft) in length and 7 to 12 cm (2.5-5 in) in diameter. It weighs 0.5 to 2.5 kg (1 – 12 lbs). The ripe fruit has a smooth, thin, fairly resistant skin. In color, it is green, yellow or scarlet with varying degrees of green and red, purple or pink mottling (on the
side exposed to the sun).
The rather large, flattened stone contains a single, large seed (4 to 7 cm long (2-3 in), 3 to 4 cm (1;5 in) wide and 1 cm (0.8 in) thick) stickng to the flesh. It is round, oval or kidney-shaped. The flesh is more or less unctuous, juicy, sweet and fragrant.
The family Anacardiacea includes other well-known species, some of which are also native to Southern Asia. They include cashews, pistacchios pepper trees and poison ivy.
Mango trees owe to Buddhism their dispersion throughout Southeast Asia. This is because mythology of Buddha shows the young Sidharta meditating under a mango tree. Hence, the spread of the mango tree duplicates that of the religion.
Thanks to the Portuguese, who disseminated mango trees worldwide, to Brazil in particular, India is purveyor of mangoes to the world. It has done so for centuries — 4,000 years — and continues doing so on an epic scale: half of the world production comes from India, predominantly the state of Uttar Pradesh, with 2.5 million tons.
I do not need to emphasize how delicious mangoes can be. Suffice it to say that their reputation as aphrodisiacs probably derives from their exquisite taste!