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Marian Plum is an endemic of South East Asia, and has Scientific name Bouea macrophylla Griffith. Even though it is becoming scarce in its source area, Marian Plum is still well known and has the local names Gandaria or Djatake (Indonesia) and serapoh, kondongan, kundang (Malaysia).
Marian Plum is a tree of the humid tropics and thrives in light and fertile soil. It occurs naturally in lowland forests below 300 m altitude, but has been successfully cultivated up to elevations of about 850 m.
Tree with clear sap turning black. Stipules absent. Leaves opposite which is rare within the Anacardiaceae, distichous (in one plane along the twig), simple, large, glabrous. Flowers small, placed in small branched inflorescences. Fruits c. 3 cm long, orange-red fleshy drupes.
Characteristics of the tree:
The tree is medium, but high. The height can reach 25 m with a diameter of 55 cm. The plant canopy is conical or round in shape with dense leaves so it is very suitable for use as a shade plant. The leaves are single and lanceolate to elliptical in shape, the leaves are large with leaves 13-35 cm long and 5-7 cm wide. Plants if grown from seeds will begin to bear fruit at the age of 6-8 years, while if from a connection they will bear fruit 4-5 years later. Naturally, gandaria plants grow to a height of 300 m above sea level. The best growth is in soil with good drainage.
The fruit resembles a round and small mango. The type is like a stone fruit, giving off a thick liquid and a distinctive smell like turpentine. When they are young, they are green in color, and when they are ripe, they are yellow-orange. The seeds are purple, oval-oval to lanceolate or oblong in shape. When young white, then gradually dark purple, then dark green. Fruit length 3-6 cm with a width of 3-4 cm. Seeds 2-5 cm in diameter with bright purple cotyledons. The inflorescences are panicles, the flowers resemble yellow mango flowers, and appear in the axils of the leaves. Flowering in September-December.
Uses
A popular fruit tree with diminutive mango-like fruits. Although generally rather acid even whenfully ripe, the fruit is much consumed fresh, cooked in syrup or made into an excellent compote. However, the use of the young fruits is more important; they serve as ingredient of a special kind of 'sambal', the chilli-based condiment, and in pickles ('asinan'), the bright purple cotyledons in the big seed adding to the attraction of the concoction. Occasionally the young leaves ¡ª which are deep violet, sometimes strikingly white when they emerge ¡ª are also consumed fresh, to be eaten with the gandaria- flavoured 'sambal'. Gandaria is recommended for planting in transmigration areas in Sumatra because of its abundant fruit production and very dense foliage, making it an excellent shade tree. The timber is durable but only used for minor purposes.
Nutritions
According to the Nutrition Division of the Thai Ministry of Health, every 100 grams of Mirian Plump contains:
Water : 86,6 g
Proteins : 40 mg
Fat : 20 mg
Carbohydrate : 11,3 g
Fiber : 150 mg
Niacin : 0,5 mg
Vitamin C : 100 mg
Calcium : 9 mg
Phosphor : 4 mg
Iron : 0,3 mg
Beta carotene : 23 mg
Thiamine : 0,11 mg
Riboflavin : 0,05 mg
Economic Potential
We do not yet have complete data on the global production of this fruit, but as far as we know there have been no serious cultivation efforts to develop this plant and produce one or several products that have high economics. Food, drink and health products.
With the nutritional potential as above, do you think that Mirian Plum has a high enough economic potential?
