47.214.193.24: Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance

2026-10-02T00:11:49Z

Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance

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{| class="wikitable" style="float: right; width: 320px; margin-left: 1.25em; margin-bottom: 1em;"
! colspan="2" style="background: #e8e8e8;" | Binjai (''Mangifera caesia'')
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:Wani_fruit.jpg|320px|Ripe wani-form fruit of Mangifera caesia]]
|-
! Common names
| Binjai (Malay), wani (Balinese), belunu, white mango, jack mango, yaa-lam (Thai)
|-
! Scientific name
| ''Mangifera caesia''
|-
! Family
| [[Anacardiaceae]]
|-
! Genus
| [[Mangifera]]
|-
! Order
| [[Sapindales]]
|-
! Native range
| Wet lowlands of Sumatra, Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia; Thailand also recorded in the native range
|-
! Growth habit
| Lowland tree to about 30 m (rarely 45 m) with a dense crown
|-
! Fruit
| Obovate-oblong drupe 12–15(–20) cm long, thin yellowish-brown skin, soft whitish fibrous pulp; the sweet 'wani' form is nearly fibreless
|-
! Harvest season
| About three months after flowering; region-dependent (Nov–Mar in East Kalimantan, Aug–Oct in Sabah)
|-
! Climate
| Wet tropical lowlands, mostly below 400 m; tolerates seasonal inundation
|-
! Caution
| White juice of immature fruit is reported strongly irritant to the skin and when ingested; the bark sap is also irritant
|-
! Uses
| Fresh fruit, creamy juices, chilli sambal, pickles; the wani form is the prized market fruit
|}
'''''Mangifera caesia''''', known as the '''binjai''' in Malay-speaking regions and the '''wani''' in Bali, is a large lowland tree of the mango genus native to the wet tropics of western Malesia. The name was published in 1824 in Roxburgh's ''Flora Indica'' and is the accepted name today. [[#cite_note-1|[1]]] The current backbone lists the native range as Malaya, Sumatra and Thailand, with Borneo recorded as introduced, while the PROSEA account treats the tree as native across Sumatra, Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia; the tree has long been cultivated in Bali, Peninsular Thailand and, through Sulu traders, the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao. [[#cite_note-1|[1]]][[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The closely related ''Mangifera kemanga'' of western Java is treated as a synonym by the current taxonomic backbone, and a 2023 molecular study of 27 Indonesian accessions (chloroplast ''trnL-trnF'') concluded the two are not independent species; earlier regional accounts kept them separate, so Java's pear-shaped "kemang" fruit belongs to the same unresolved complex. [[#cite_note-1|[1]]][[#cite_note-3|[3]]] Other common names include belunu, white mango, jack mango and, in Thai, yaa-lam. [[#cite_note-4|[4]]] The tree grows in wet lowland forest, commonly on periodically inundated riverbanks, and is grown for its fruit. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]]

== Description ==

The tree reaches about 30 m (rarely 45 m), with a bole 50–80(–120) cm in diameter, a dense, dome-shaped crown, and greyish-brown, superficially fissured bark containing an irritant sap. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]][[#cite_note-5|[5]]] Leaves are elliptic to lanceolate, roughly 10–12(–30) cm long. [[#cite_note-5|[5]]] The terminal panicles are 15–25(–40) cm long and pale pink, bearing small, five-merous, pale-lilac, fragrant flowers. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The chromosome number is 2n = 40. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]]

The fruit is an obovate-oblong drupe, necked at the base, 12–15(–20) cm long by 6–7(–12) cm wide, with a very thin (about 1 mm) yellowish or pale-brownish skin and whitish, soft, juicy, fibrous pulp that develops a sourish taste and a strong smell at maturity; the stone is monoembryonic. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]][[#cite_note-5|[5]]] The preferred 'wani' fruit form is ellipsoid and smaller, 9–11 by 6.5–7 cm, with a glossy pale-green skin and milky-white flesh; the best forms are almost fibreless and pleasantly sweet. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The World Agroforestry profile refers to a sweet, fibreless and tasty cultivar grown in Borneo and Bali, while other accounts describe the flesh of the ordinary form as yellowish-white, mushy and strongly odorous with an acid-sweet or sour taste. [[#cite_note-5|[5]]][[#cite_note-4|[4]]]

== Cultivation ==

=== Soil and water ===

Native stations are wet tropical lowlands, generally below 400 m and rarely up to 800 m, with evenly distributed rainfall. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The species stands seasonal inundation well and is commonly cultivated on periodically flooded riverbanks, for example in East Kalimantan. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]][[#cite_note-5|[5]]] On Bali, a district-scale land-suitability evaluation of wani across the Kintamani slopes (900–1600 m) found slope, soil texture, temperature, effective rooting depth and rainfall the main limiting factors, with most land classed moderately, marginally or not suitable. [[#cite_note-6|[6]]] A deep, moisture-retentive alluvial or riverine soil that is periodically inundated matches the documented habitat, and seasonal flooding is tolerated; published species-specific data on fertilization and pruning remain absent. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]]

=== Sun and humidity ===

The tree is native to humid, wet lowland forest and river margins, so it suits constantly humid tropical climates: a grower whose farm climate is very similar to Borneo–Malay peninsula conditions grows it where humidity is too high for select cultivated mangoes. [[#cite_note-7|[7]]] In Bali the tree is grown in community gardens on the slopes of Mount Batur, rather than in deep forest. [[#cite_note-6|[6]]]

=== Seasonal changes ===

In the native rainfall cycle the tree flowers heading into or during the wet period and the fruit ripens about three months after anthesis, maturing in the rainy season: in East Kalimantan flowering runs October–December with fruit maturing November–March, while in Sabah flowering runs February–April with fruit August–October. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] A Bali study states that wani needs good rainfall through its June–October growing season and dry weather from November onward, and that rainy or cloudy weather during flowering favours the emergence of powdery mildew and planthopper problems. [[#cite_note-6|[6]]] The species is a wet lowland tree; growers expect it to be very frost sensitive, though no measured cold-hardiness threshold has been published. A grower in northern Uganda reports a wani raised from 2018 seed at 1100 m, frost-free, growing slowly, just branching after about five years and not yet fruiting. [[#cite_note-7|[7]]]

== Propagation ==

Seed is the standard propagation method, and one grower's seeds sprouted readily in warm greenhouse conditions while the young seedling's leaves were scorched by daytime heat in the mid-100s °F (about 38–43 °C), with shade cloth helping. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]][[#cite_note-8|[8]]] Because the stone is monoembryonic, seedlings vary rather than reproducing a parent true to type. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] Grafting onto ''Mangifera indica'' rootstock was attempted without success, and PROSEA suggests that grafting onto seedling stock may be possible, in particular by inarching potted, decapitated rootstocks into twigs of mother trees. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] Marcotting is also reported as a propagation route. [[#cite_note-4|[4]]] Mature trees need a great deal of space and are commonly planted 12–16 m apart each way. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]][[#cite_note-5|[5]]] Outside Indonesia, growers note that access to seed is the main bottleneck for trying the species. [[#cite_note-7|[7]]] Living collections are maintained in botanic-garden germplasm, such as the Cibinong Science Center Botanic Garden in Bogor, whose kemang accessions show measurable genetic diversity. [[#cite_note-9|[9]]]

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==

Trees bloom profusely, and old trees can produce thousands of fruits in a season. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The fruit ripens about three months after anthesis, and regional calendars differ: November–March in East Kalimantan and August–October in Sabah. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] Ripe fruit is soft and juicy with a very thin skin, so it must be handled, packed and transported with care. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] Where wani is a commercial Balinese crop, Department of Agriculture figures quoted in a 2024 study record production of 55,166 t at about 75 kg per tree in 2021, falling to 49,139 t at 35 kg per tree in 2022. [[#cite_note-6|[6]]]

== Fruit and uses ==

The ordinary ripe fruit is eaten fresh, with a sourish taste and a strong smell that divides opinion. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The 'wani' form — sweet, juicy, almost fibreless and free of the rank odour of the common type — is much liked and fetches a high price in local markets, and is excellent for creamy juices. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] A grower who tasted wani at a Sabah botanical collection was impressed by the very white flesh and pleasant fruit, and notes that wani varies, with some people seeking a sour type for particular dishes. [[#cite_note-7|[7]]] Another Sabah tasting first found the flavour off-putting, then distinguished brown-skinned (more sour) from green-skinned (sweeter) fruit, describing the taste as between a pear and a soursop. [[#cite_note-7|[7]]] A Reddit commenter recommends the wani as sweet and amazing, reminiscent of guanabana and pineapple. [[#cite_note-10|[10]]] The pulp is also used for creamy drinks, a chilli-based sambal eaten with river fish, and ripe flesh pickled with salt, and in Brunei it is used for cacah, a dipping sauce served with ambuyat. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]][[#cite_note-4|[4]]] About 65% of the fruit weight is edible; per 100 g of edible portion the pulp holds about 86.5 g water, 1 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 11.9 g carbohydrate including fibre, and 58 mg vitamin C, providing about 200 kJ. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]] The wood, with a density of 410–570 kg/m³ at 15% moisture, is used for light construction. [[#cite_note-5|[5]]]

The irritancy hazard is real and specific: the white juice of the immature fruit is reported extremely irritant to the skin and when ingested — PROSEA notes it has even been used deliberately to injure people — and the bark sap is also irritant. [[#cite_note-2|[2]]][[#cite_note-5|[5]]] A 1943 Singapore case report independently documented severe vesicular dermatitis in thirteen people in a Singapore brickworks' labour quarters (including women and children not employed at the works), traced to kitchen smoke from "binjai" firewood identified botanically as ''Mangifera caesia''; a steam-distillate patch test on a volunteer produced a typical vesicular dermatitis within 36 hours, and guinea-pig tests with the distillate produced vesication within 24 hours. [[#cite_note-11|[11]]] The same report, quoting Burkill's Dictionary, records that the ripe fruit, young leaves and seeds were eaten; the documented irritancy concerns immature fruit juice, bark sap and wood smoke rather than the ripe flesh. [[#cite_note-11|[11]]] Hands should be washed promptly after handling unripe fruit or cut bark.

== Photos ==

[[File:Wani_fruit_-_fruit_and_seed.jpg|300px|Wani fruit split to show pulp and seed]]

[[File:Mangif_keman_070701-0004_cta.jpg|300px|Crown and branch of Mangifera caesia (kemanga form), Bogor, West Java]]

[[File:Mangif_keman_081228-4960_Fr-Sd_cta.jpg|300px|Kemanga-form fruit and seed of Mangifera caesia, Bogor, West Java]]

[[File:Mangifera_caesia_fruits_from_Lapuyan_Zamboanga_del_Sur_prepared_as_a_merienda_snack_in_a_typical_Filipino_fashion.jpg|300px|Mangifera caesia fruits prepared as a merienda snack, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines]]

== References ==

* [[#cite_ref-1|↑]] '''[1]''' [https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:69885-1 Mangifera caesia Jack — Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew].

* [[#cite_ref-2|↑]] '''[2]''' [https://prosea.prota4u.org/view.aspx?id=1521 Mangifera caesia Jack — PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 2: Edible fruits and nuts), record 1521, J.M. Bompard 1991].

* [[#cite_ref-3|↑]] '''[3]''' [https://sabraojournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SABRAO-J-Breed-Genet-55-1-175-186-MS22-169.pdf Resida, E.; Chikmawati, T.; Ariyanti, N.; Fitmawati (2023). Mangifera kemanga Blume (Anacardiaceae) taxonomic assessment for genetic diversity based on molecular substantiation. SABRAO Journal of Breeding and Genetics 55(1): 175–186].

* [[#cite_ref-4|↑]] '''[4]''' [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangifera_caesia Mangifera caesia — Wikipedia (English)].

* [[#cite_ref-5|↑]] '''[5]''' [https://apps.worldagroforestry.org/treedb2/speciesprofile.php?Spid=18080 Mangifera caesia — Agroforestree Species profile, World Agroforestry (treedb2)].

* [[#cite_ref-6|↑]] '''[6]''' [https://www.jaast.org/index.php/jaast/article/download/245/167/3034 Yuniti, I.G.A.D.; Sasmita, N.; Purba, J.H.; Komara, L.L. (2024). Land suitability of wani fruit (Mangifera caesia) for fruit development in Mount Batur, Kintamani, Bali. Journal of Applied Agricultural Science and Technology 8(2): 255–266].

* [[#cite_ref-7|↑]] '''[7]''' [https://www.tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?action=printpage;topic=52622.0 Wani (Mangifera caesia) cold hardiness? — Tropical Fruit Forum thread 52622].

* [[#cite_ref-8|↑]] '''[8]''' [https://growingfruit.org/t/fruit-tree-seedlings/61370/447 Fruit tree seedlings? — Growing Fruit forum thread 61370, posts 447 and 449 (sharq/Ryan), quoted 2026-01-09].

* [[#cite_ref-9|↑]] '''[9]''' [https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/978/1/012008 Mulyaningsih, E.S.; Anggraheni, Y.G.D.; Yurika, O.; Santun, L.S.; Hidayat, Y.S. (2022). The genetic diversity of Kemang (Mangifera kemanga Blume) collection from Bogor in the Germplasm Garden. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 978: 012008].

* [[#cite_ref-10|↑]] '''[10]''' [https://www.reddit.com/r/fruit/comments/1ity4uy/has_anybody_ever_tried_this_mango_cousin_that/ Has anybody ever tried this mango cousin that tastes like french onion sour and sour eggs? — Reddit r/fruit, comment by HAmasuda].

* [[#cite_ref-11|↑]] '''[11]''' [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2133.1943.tb10708.x Landor, J.V. (1943). Dermatitis venenata caused by smoke. British Journal of Dermatology. DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1943.tb10708.x].

== Image credits ==

* '''File:Wani_fruit.jpg''' — Ripe wani-form fruit of Mangifera caesia, external view (summary image). Creator: Wikieditor573 (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 4.0 ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ license]). File page: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wani_fruit.jpg Wikimedia Commons]. Attribution: Wikieditor573, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

* '''File:Wani_fruit_-_fruit_and_seed.jpg''' — Wani fruit split to show pulp and stone. Creator: Wikieditor573 (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 4.0 ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ license]). File page: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wani_fruit_-_fruit_and_seed.jpg Wikimedia Commons]. Attribution: Wikieditor573, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

* '''File:Mangif_keman_070701-0004_cta.jpg''' — Crown and branch, labeled Mangifera kemanga (currently a synonym of M. caesia), Ragajaya, Bojonggede, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. Creator: Wibowo Djatmiko (Wie146) (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 3.0 ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ license]). File page: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mangif_keman_070701-0004_cta.jpg Wikimedia Commons]. Attribution: Wibowo Djatmiko (Wie146), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

* '''File:Mangif_keman_081228-4960_Fr-Sd_cta.jpg''' — Fruit and seed, labeled Mangifera kemanga (synonym of M. caesia), Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. Creator: Wibowo Djatmiko (Wie146) (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 3.0 ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ license]). File page: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mangif_keman_081228-4960_Fr-Sd_cta.jpg Wikimedia Commons]. Attribution: Wibowo Djatmiko (Wie146), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

* '''File:Mangifera_caesia_fruits_from_Lapuyan_Zamboanga_del_Sur_prepared_as_a_merienda_snack_in_a_typical_Filipino_fashion.jpg''' — Mangifera caesia fruits prepared as a merienda snack, Lapuyan, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines. Creator: Alternativity (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 4.0 ([https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ license]). File page: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mangifera_caesia_fruits_from_Lapuyan_Zamboanga_del_Sur_prepared_as_a_merienda_snack_in_a_typical_Filipino_fashion.jpg Wikimedia Commons]. Attribution: Alternativity, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Mangifera caesia - Revision history

47.214.193.24: Wikifruit: independently reviewed article maintenance